It will always be you - Part I : Protection
by C.Lmichel
Summary: What if Elena started to remember meeting Damon for the first time? What if she never fell in love with Stefan? What if true love was the cure to vampirism? Find out in It will always be you. All characters and many themes belong to The CW and Julie Plec. This story is AU, Delena/Steroline. This story is part I of the Trilogy It will always be you.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey I am new here! For a school project I am doing a creative writing blog. So I thought I would start writing again after a few years hiatus. To make my blog I wanted to get a good grasp on the market for creative writing, therefore, I wanted to start somewhere I am comfortable with. This story is my take on what I would have liked to have happened in the Vampire Diaries. Please comment your suggestions and review my work. I am really interested in what you all think about it. I will try and update the story as fast as possible, I know that from being an avid reader myself I hate stories that don't get finished.**

 **Thank you all for your time.**

 **Please view and review!**

 **CLM 18**

 **All characters and many themes belong to The CW and Julie Plec**

Chapter 1:

It started the night her parents died in a car crash on Wickery Bridge – she met a man, a mysterious man.

"Kathrine..." said a voice in the distance.

"Uh, no I'm Elena," Elena said looking up from her phone.

"Oh, sorry it's just you really looked like someone I know." The voice responded.

"That's um, I'm sorry but that's a little creepy." Elena said to the mysterious figure.

"I'm sorry, how rude of me, I'm Damon." The figure stepped into the light of the street lamp. He was the most handsome man Elena had ever seen. He took her breath away. His hair was as dark as midnight, his cheek bones were defined as if someone had sculpted them from marble. But most of all his eyes, the ice blue orbs sparkled in the street lamp making them almost glow.

"So, Elena what brings you out on a cold night like this?" Damon asks intrigued by the girl before him.

"I got in a fight with my boyfriend…" Elena said to the stranger.

"Oh, trouble in paradise?" Damon said flickering a seductive smirk.

"I guess he's got it all mapped out; marriage, house, family…" Elena sighed.

"Oh, and let me guess it's not what you want?" Damon questioned.

"I don't know what I want," Elena said frustrated.

"Now that's not true," Damon said.

"Oh really, mysterious stranger with all the answers; then fine, Damon what is it that I want?" Elena

snarked.

"Oh, you want what everyone wants, you want a love that consumes you, passion, adventure, and even a little danger." Damon said as he stepped slightly closer.

"And how would you know that?" said Elena perplexed.

"Let's just say I've been around along time." Damon stated.

"Okay Damon, then what do you want?" Elena asked.

"I want you to get everything you are looking for; but for now, I want you to forget you met me, I can't have people knowing I'm in town yet." Damon said as he disappeared into the night again, like a voice that was never heard; a whisper in the wind.

Elena blinked her eyes she felt as if something was amiss, she looked at her phone she could swear it had been 10:01 just a minute ago yet the clock read 10:30. A car honked in the distance. 'huh my parents are here already, I feel like I missed a whole half an hour, jeez I must have drunk more than I thought I did at that party.' Elena thought as she got in the back seat of her parent's car, completely forgetting her encounter with the mysterious man.  
_

Months passed since she met this dark knight. She had settled back in school, everything was falling back into place. In the back of her mind Elena Gilbert felt as if there was something missing – something more than the obvious her parents were dead.

It was a start to her first year as a junior and she had just broken up with her boyfriend Matt.

Elena walked the halls of the school she had been going to for the past 2 years, she smelled the freshly waxed floor, her feet slipping slightly on the slick feel. She had promised herself that today she would smile, that everything would be okay.

Her best friend Bonnie Bennet came out from one of the classrooms to greet her. Bonnie was a small girl with mocha skin, and a smile that wasn't quite straight but that could light up a room. Her dark eyes had a warmth to them that could make anyone's heart melt.

"Elena! How are you doing?" Bonnie asked with a hint of sadness in her voice.

Elena dreaded those words, she had held it together all morning, but the look on her friends face and the deepness of her words made Elena's heart twinge.

"Bonnie! I am doing okay, but enough about me! How was your summer? I barely saw you or Caroline, I am sorry for that." Elena said as she fidgeted slightly with her bag.

Just as she had mentioned Caroline her bombshell blonde friend walked in. Caroline Forbes was the sheriff's daughter. On the outside Caroline was very vain. Her blonde curls bounced as she wiggled her way down the hall. Wearing a brand-new outfit that probably cost more than it was worth, Caroline blew kisses down the hall to all the boys.

"Elena! Bonnie! Hey, did you see that there's a new boy that enrolled in our class!" Caroline squealed with a giddy voice.

Bonnie rolled her eyes with a smirk on her face.

"Oh, Caroline is that all you ever think about – boys!" Bonnie exclaimed.

Elena smiled feeling relived to get back to normality in her life. Just then she saw her brother Jeremy slinking off to the bathroom very suspiciously.

Ever since her parent's death Jeremy had been going to drugs and alcohol.

"Excuse me guys, I've got to go and check on Jeremy for a minute I'll catch up with you in a few." Elena stated as she rushed off to the boy's bathroom.

When she got to the door she felt slightly nervous to enter but she pushed it back to see what Jeremy was up to.

As she barged through the door she saw her brother sneaking a flask into his backpack. His eyes were glassed over from obviously smoking a joint before school.

"Jeremy! I thought we had talked about this! What are you doing? Are you trying to get expelled!?" Elena said in a stern concerned voice.

The boy jumped at his sister's comments.

"Elena, fuck off! I told you I was fine. What are you even doing in the boy's bathroom anyway, leave me alone." Jeremy said as he pushed by his sister.

"Jer, wait!" Elena whined as she ran after him, she was abruptly stopped as she ran right into a very solid body.

"Oh! I am so sorry!" Elena exclaimed as she looked up into mossy green eyes. The boy, well more like a man chuckled.

"It's all right, uh isn't this the men's room?" said the man before her. He had strong features, the most beautiful green eyes; he gave the feeling of comfort. Elena was perplexed by this man before her. She had never met this boy before, she assumed it must be the new guy.

"Uh… yes… um I'm sorry ha, uh I'm Elena by the way," Elena stammered 'oh god what am I doing I sound like an idiot' Elena thought to herself, clearly caught off guard.

"You sure seem turned around Elena I hope you are all right, I am Stefan, Stefan Salvatore I just came here over the summer I am living with my Uncle Zach." Stefan said all the while smiling at the petite girl in front of him. He admired her big brown doe eyes. Looking deep into them, they seemed so familiar yet so different.

"Well Stefan, it was sure um nice meeting you, I uh… Have to get back to class!" Elena said as she rushed off. 'Oh my god I sounded so stupid to that guy, uh there was just something about him... something so warm.'

Later that day Elena caught back up with Caroline and Bonnie.

"Hey guys! Have you guys picked your extra classes yet?" Elena asked her two best friends, trying to keep topics on school and away from her feelings.

"Nope!" Both girls responded.

"Well do you want to go now, before lunch?" Elena questioned.

"Sure!" the girls said as they started walking down the hall to the office.

Elena stopped suddenly causing her friends to slam into her.

"Elena, what the hell!" Caroline screamed.

"Uh... Sorry it's just that guy, I met him in the hall earlier and I uh..." Elena muttered as she saw the backside of Stefan. Her cheeks getting hot realizing that he was about to turn around.

"Oh, look at that back! He is so hot." Bonnie said smirking.

"Bonnie..." Elena said as she gritted her teeth.

Then Stefan turned around so quickly as if he had responded immediately to her voice. Staring directly into Elena's eyes. She felt as if he was boring into her soul.

Elena turned around, "Hey guys maybe we should come back, it looks like there's a line." Elena stated as she rushed off leaving her friends bewildered by her actions.

Elena ran off campus, a part of her knew she should go back and face her fears. But at the same time, she was afraid because she didn't know what those fears were. She ran to the cemetery, the only place she felt at home now. She pulled out her diary and sat down in front of her parent's graves. She started to write.

"Dear Diary,

I promised you I would smile today, that today would be different. Well today has been different. I have tried to smile. I met a boy today, I totally made a fool of myself. I went to the boy's bathroom to try and get Jer out of trouble. He has been having such a hard time with mom and dad's death. When I went to leave the bathroom, I ran into this guy. Stefan, he seems so weird. He kept looking right in my eyes. I felt as if he was searching for something. It's like getting completely violated with your eyes. He makes me feel so uncomfortable and yet so warm and at home. Ever since I broke up with Matt I haven't been interested in dating, yet today when I met Stefan, I don't know I feel like I should maybe get out there again. It might keep my mind off Mom and Dad. Yet there's still something about that night that doesn't add up, I keep running it through my head. I still can't seem to remember what happened before they came to pick me up from the Lockwood's Party. Yet when I met Stefan today – I felt something like I knew him or maybe someone close to him. Maybe it is just his Uncle Zach Salvatore, him and my parents were friends… yes that must be it."

Elena got up from her spot and put away her diary, suddenly the cemetery was being engulfed in a thick fog. A raven flew past her cawing loudly. She could swear she saw a figure of a man in a black coat behind some tombstones. Suddenly she felt the need to run, something that was making her blood run cold. A feeling like electricity through the air, it stung her skin. She had to get out of there. She started running. She tripped on a tree root and fell hard to the ground. As she went to get up a hand reached out to her. She startled.

"Ah let go of me!" Elena yelled.

"Hey, hey it's all right it's me Stefan. Hey are you okay?" Stefan said helping Elena up from the ground.

"Yeah, Yeah, I'm fine, are you stalking me or something?" Elena said demanding and answer.

"Uh, no sorry I was visiting someone." Stefan said with a sad look on his face.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't know, jeez look at me making a fool out of myself." Elena apologized.

"No, it's okay you didn't know. Hey, is your foot okay? You seem to be favoring it." Stefan asked noting that Elena was limping on her foot.

"Yeah, I think so I fell over that tree root," Elena said as she lifted her pants to look at her foot, there was a slight gash on her ankle that was bleeding pretty good.

At the sight of the blood Stefan went white, he turned his head his eyes transitioning from the mossy green emeralds to a deep blood red, black veins seeping under them marring the perfect peach skin. He shook his head, and everything went back to normal, he gritted his teeth, "You should probably get that looked at, I uh have to go." Stefan ran off into the distance, leaving Elena very confused.

 _A few weeks later..._

Weeks went by since the incident at the cemetery and Elena and Stefan had become close friends.

"Hey 'Lena how is your day going?" Stefan said as they met at their usual place for lunch.

"Pretty good I mean other than totally flunking that history exam, what does Tanner expect from us literally? Ha-ha!" Elena chuckled, it had been so nice to get back to normality. Stefan's friendship couldn't have come at a better time.

Stefan stole a fry from Elena's lunch tray, Elena noticed that he didn't have a tray of his own, he never did. She couldn't understand how he kept such a healthy weight when she never saw him eat. She never saw him drink come to think of it too.

"Hey buddy, get your own! Come to think of it I don't think I've seen you have a meal at school at all? What's up with that?" Elena asked.

"Hah, yeah I don't like school food much, hey why don't you come out for supper with me at the Grill tonight as repayment for that fry!?" Stefan asked jokingly, 'I really hope she says yes, I really like this girl there's something about her. Something so familiar, I mean she is just like Katherine but she's so much more.' Stefan thought to himself as he reflected on his past flame.

'He wants me to go on a date with him? No, its just two friends going to dinner, right?' Elena thought to herself. "Yeah sure that sounds great Stef, does 5:30 work for you?" Elena replied trying to keep her heart from beating out of her chest.

"For sure El, that works great! I can pick you up if you like?" Stefan said with a wide smile.

'He wants to pick me up, that means he has to drop me off. That means there will be a walk to the door, and a "gulp" kiss!? What no, were just friends, yes just friends.' Elena thought to herself. Her heart racing thinking about kissing Stefan. She looked at his lips her mind wandering, suddenly she shook her head getting back to reality.

"Um, yeah of course you can pick me up I'll be ready by 5:15." Elena stammered trying to calm her heart and mind.

Stefan laughed inside 'if only she knew I can hear her heart beating so loud, I can smell her arousal, she wants me?' He watched her as her eyes focused on his mouth, how badly he wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her, to love her. But it was too soon, they barely knew each other. 'She's not Katherine.' Stefan reminded himself.

"Sounds great El, I'll be by to pick you up." Stefan said as he got up from the table and headed to his locker. Leaving Elena to her thoughts.

'What am I going to do, these feelings are so confusing, I want him. Yet I want to be alone. I don't know what I want.' Elena said to herself, 'I don't know what I want, huh… I feel like I've said that before.' Elena thought her mind going back to that night of the Lockwood party. ' _I don't know what I want...'_ The words bounced in her head. _'Sure, you do, you want what everyone wants…'_ a foreign voice intruded her mind. 'Woah! Who said that why does that voice sound so familiar.'

"Elena!" Bonnie yelled at her friend, 'what is up with her she is staring into space' Bonnie thought to herself. "Elena!" Bonnie yelled again this time grabbing Elena by the arm slightly. Suddenly Bonnie was attacked with visions, _A raven, fog, a man, "ITS JUST THE BEGINING"_ Bonnie jumped back.

"Bonnie, are you okay?" Elena startled at her friend who was freaking out.

"Sorry Elena, when I touched you I got this, like a vision or something. A raven, fog, a man, and the phrase this is just the beginning. I know it sounds crazy but Gram's thinks I'm psychic…" Bonnie said embarrassed.

"It doesn't sound crazy Bon, I think something is going on I keep having these feelings like I am missing something, remember the Lockwood party the night my parents died? Well I keep getting these feelings about that night, things I can't explain. Also, the other week the first day I met Stefan I was in the cemetery and I was engulfed in fog, and there was a raven, just like you said. Not to mention I felt like I was being watched," Elena whispered, her whole body shaking. 'what does this all mean?'

Bonnies jaw dropped, her eyes bulged at the information Elena had just told her. "What do you think this all means Bon?" Elena asked nervously.

"I don't know 'Lena, I will have to talk to my Grams. This all seems so unreal." Bonnie replied, "But let's get to class, its History after all we don't want Tanner mad."

 _Later that day-_

After she got home from school Elena began to get ready for her "date" with Stefan. Trying to put all the supernatural things in the back of her mind. It would be a regular night with a cute boy.

Her phone started ringing... "ring" "ring"

"Hey Bonnie, what's up?" Elena answered the phone.

"Elena, are you busy tonight?" Bonnie asked with a strong hint of concern in her voice.

"Well I am going for supper at the grill with Stefan, but after that I am free, why what's wrong?" Elena asked nervously.

"Nothings wrong I just… I talked to Grams, I have things to talk to you about. But I can't tell you over the phone. Do you mind if we have a girl's night later? And whoa back up your going on a date with Stefan Salvatore?" Bonnie ranted.

"Uh, sure its fine you can come over and no its not a "date" its just dinner with friends." Elena defended her self. She was no were near ready to date again, was she?

"Sure, just a dinner with friends? So, you think he's, hot don't you? I mean he is sure dreamy." Bonnie cooed.

"Yeah, of course I think he's hot, who wouldn't. I just don't think I am ready for a relationship right now. Not after everything that happened with Matt. Also, not with all this crazy supernatural stuff…" Elena stammered.

"I guess your right 'Lena, but hey I'll let you go, text me when your home so I can come over. Are you sure it is going to be okay with Jenna I come?" Bonnie asked.

"Yeah of course you're my best friend Bon, and it's a Friday night!" Elena laughed.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

After she got off the phone with Bonnie, Elena went to her closet to get dressed. She started pulling out different outfits, one after the other until she had a huge pile on the bed. "Uh! I have nothing to wear!" She yelled in frustration.

Just then her Aunt Jenna walked in, Aunt Jenna was a slim average woman, she had tender eyes and long dirty blonde hair. Aunt Jenna had become Elena and Jeremy's guardian after their parent's death.

"El, what's wrong?" Jenna asked kindly.

"I have nothing to wear Aunt Jenna, I am supposed to be going out for supper with a friend." Elena said as she twirled her hair in her fingers.

"A friend?" Jenna asked with a glimmer of curiosity.

"Yes, Aunt Jenna a friend. Stefan, he's Zach Salvatore's nephew." Elena explained in a slightly annoyed manner.

"Okay, no need to get snappy Elena, if you'd like you can borrow something from my closet." Jenna said trying to smooth things over.

"Thanks Aunt Jenna, I am sorry I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just… I haven't gone out on a date since Matt and I broke up, and I am nervous. I like Stefan he's a nice guy I just don't want to mess anything up. We are good friends." Elena sighed. 'with everything going on right now I don't know if I even want to date...' Elena thought to herself remembering all the supernatural things her and Bonnie have been going through.

"Awe, 'Lena. It's okay dear, I know things have been hard on you. So, tell me about this Stefan. How did you meet? Is he hot?!" Jenna asked inquisitively, she was after all the cool Aunt, as she liked to tell everyone.

"Jenna!" Elena squealed, "He is cute, there's something about him, I can't describe it." She told her Aunt how they met, conveniently leaving out the time at the cemetery, she didn't want to upset her Aunt. Aunt Jenna had taken it hard when her sister and brother in-law had passed away, so hard she couldn't even bare to go to the grave site.

"Well El, you do whatever makes you happy sweetheart. But don't forget to use protection! You are on the pill, right?" Jenna asked very concerned.

"Aunt Jenna! No of course I am not on the pill I am a virgin!" Elena almost yelled, she felt her cheeks getting hot. 'why would Aunt Jenna think I would sleep with Stefan, I barely know him.'

"I am sorry Elena that was out of line. I just assumed with being with Matt you would have you know…" Jenna stammered obviously embarrassed at her mistake.

"No, its okay Aunt Jenna, I realize a lot of girls sleep with their boyfriends, it wasn't like that with Matt and I we were best friends, that's one of the reasons we broke up. There was no chemistry." Elena explained. 'that and I want to wait, I feel like I haven't met my soulmate yet, if anyone is going to get to have all of me it is going to be my soulmate.' Elena smiled to herself.

"Again, I am sorry Elena, I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. I know you are a smart girl." Jenna smiled. "How about we go find you that outfit. What time are you meeting Stefan for supper?"

Elena looked at the clock, 4:45 "Crap, I only have a half an hour to get ready! Stefan is picking me up at 5:15." Elena said in a rushed voice.

"Oh dear, well we better go get at it then!" Jenna said rushing to her closet.

Jenna found Elena a nice top, it was black and flowy with speckles of blue sparkles. Elena matched it up with a pair of her own tight dark wash skinny jeans. She borrowed Aunt Jenna's black pumps, the ones that her aunt always wore to special meetings. After she touched up her make-up she admired herself in the mirror. She wasn't a little girl anymore, her body had curves, her once small lips were full, her brown eyes glistened with excitement. 'This is going to be a good night! I am going on an adventure.' _You want passion, adventure even a little danger!"_ That voice attacked her senses again this time it was accompanied with a vision of shocking blue eyes.

"Ah!" Elena yelled as she sat down on the edge of the bed holding her head. 'what the hell was that!' she thought as reality rushed back to her.

She glanced at her phone 5:10, 'shit I don't have time to phone Bonnie,' Elena thought as her mouth twisted.

Just then the door bell rang.

"I've got it!" Elena yelled as she ran down the stairs.

She opened the door and was surprised to see Stefan standing there with a bouquet of flowers. A dozen yellow roses. Elena gulped.

"Stefan, these are beautiful! You didn't have to get me flowers." Elena gasped.

"Hey, now don't get any crazy ideas El, ha-ha. They are just a token of our friendship see they are yellow roses they mean friendship" Stefan laughed, his warm smile radiating.

"Oh! Well in that case I'll go and get a vase for them, are you coming in?" Elena said puzzled to why her friend was just standing at the door.

"Oh of course if that's all right with you?" Stefan said apprehensively.

"Why wouldn't it be? Ha-ha come on in Stefan. I'll just be a minute then we can go." Elena said, 'how weird, why wouldn't he just come in, its as if he couldn't or something…' Elena thought to herself as she went to the kitchen to find a vase for her flowers. She smiled as she placed the flowers on the table.

Aunt Jenna came down from her room to see Elena setting the flowers down.

"Ooo, were did you get those beautiful flowers from?" Aunt Jenna squealed.

"Aunt Jenna, shush there from Stefan he's in our living room." Elena whispered looking seriously at her Aunt.

"Okay sorry, can I meet him?" Aunt Jenna also whispered, smiling jokingly at Elena.

"Yes, of course." Elena said.

"Stefan, this is my Aunt Jenna, Aunt Jenna, this is my friend Stefan." Elena introduced them.

"Its so nice to make your acquittance Mrs.?" Stefan asked.

"Its Sommers but just call me Jenna, its really nice to meet you Stefan, Elena has told me all about you." Jenna said winking at Stefan.

Elena felt her cheeks getting hot 'what is Aunt Jenna trying to do?' Elena thought to herself trying to contain her embarrassment. "Uh, hey Stefan we better get going before the Grill gets too busy." Elena forced out.

"Yeah of course, was nice meeting you Jenna." Stefan said taking Jenna's hand and placing a small kiss on it.

"Oh my, it was nice meeting you too, you are quiet a little gentleman." Jenna said getting quite warm.

Elena chuckled to herself as they left the house 'serves Aunt Jenna right, now she got a taste of her own medicine. But that was a little weird...'

They got to the end of the drive way and Stefan held the car door open for her. His car was a 1963 Porsche 356B Karmann Coupe. Elena had never seen a car quite like it in Mystic Falls.

"This is a really cool car, where did you get it?" Elena asked

"My dad bought it me before he died." Stefan lied.

"Oh, I am sorry I didn't realize…" Elena stumbled on her words, she felt like she had put a foot in her mouth.

"No, its okay. It's been years. He had a heart attack when I was 13." Stefan lied again, 'I wish I didn't have to lie to her, but its for the best, she can't know the truth. She wouldn't believe me even if I told her.' Stefan rationalized.

The rest of the ride over to the grill was quiet. Elena zoned out, her mind started thinking of the night at the Lockwood party again, and the voice. _You want what everyone wants… love that consumes you, passion, adventure and even a little danger…_ the words kept ringing in her head, the vision of blue eyes burned into her brain.

"Hey El, were here." Stefan said shutting off the car. "El? You okay?" Stefan said lightly brushing her arm.

Elena snapped out of her thoughts. "Uh, yes I am sorry I just sort of zoned out." Elena said as she got out of the car.

The grill was packed. Vikki Donavan came up to them. "We have like one table left." She said to Stefan smacking her lips together. She looked down at Elena giving her dagger like stares. Vikki was Matts older sister, she had dark hair and wore very revealing clothes.

Elena gulped, "Okay here's your table. Can I get you a drink, maybe a condom?" Vikki spit out at Elena.

"Excuse me?" Stefan said flabbergasted.

"It's okay Stef," Elena sighed. Tonight, was going to be a long night she knew Vikki was mad at her for breaking her brothers heart.

"I'll have a water Vikki." Elena said ignoring her previous comment.

"Okay a water for the slut. And what about you sexy what do you want?" Vikki said eying Stefan.

"I'll have a water to please," Stefan said gob smacked by the audacity of the waitress.

As Vikki walked away to get their waters Stefan motioned to Elena "What was that all about?" he whispered.

"I dated her brother, we broke up and now she thinks I am a whore." Elena sighed.

Vikki came back with the waters, "So what do you want bitch?" Vikki asked Elena

"I'll have the burger no pickles and fries." Elena smiled ignoring Vikki's attitude there was no point in fueling the fire.

"And you pretty boy?" Vikki asked Stefan, leaning over so her chest was almost touching his face.

"I uh, I'll have the same as Elena, thank you." Stefan said as he took a deep breath. It was for sure going to be a long night.

Vikki left and gave the order to the kitchen. "Hey Matt! I am going for my smoke break, you wanna cover my tables. Your bitch of an Ex is here though with that new hot guy from your history class." Vikki yelled at her brother who also worked at the grill. She stepped outside lighting up her cigarette.

The alley was dark, Vikki breathed in the night air. She butted out her smoke and turned to go back in the restaurant. It was then she was attacked.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Vikki screamed as a man grabbed her, pinning her too the wall. She couldn't see his face as he pulled her head to the side slamming his face into her neck. Pain is all she felt.

Inside the restaurant Stefan heard her scream. "Elena, I just have to use the little boys room." Stefan excused himself.

He ran outside the restaurant where he heard the screams. Vikki was laying on the ground covered in blood, her neck torn up, her body limp. He felt his face changing, his teeth descending, trying to shake it off he ran back into the restaurant.

"Help, come quick a girl outside was attacked by an animal!" Stefan yelled.

Matt ran past Stefan, "What are you doing back here man?" Matt said as he reached the door rushing to Vikki's aid.

Stefan picked up his phone calling 911.

"What's your emergency?" the operator answered.

"A girl was attacked at the Mystic Grill, hurry she's bleeding out!" Stefan yelled over the phone.

Back at the table Elena was growing worried, 'what is taking him so long?' Just then Stefan got back to the table, looking very shook up.

"What's going on are you okay?" Elena asked.

"No, we have to get out of here, Vikki Donavan was just attacked by some animal outside. I heard her screaming when I went to the bathroom I called 911. I don't want you to get hurt.

We better get going." Stefan said rushing to get out of there, he grabbed Elena by the arm, leaving a hundred-dollar bill on the table.

"Wait what? She was attacked, we can't leave I have to make sure Matt is okay." Elena struggled to get out of Stefan's grasp.

"No Elena its not safe we are going!" He said getting visibly upset.

"It's the blood isn't it?" Elena asked noting the time she fell and cut her leg he ran off, "You are squeamish around blood. Its okay Stefan you go home, I'll get Jenna to come and pick me up okay?" Elena said understanding.

Stefan sighed "Okay, I am sorry Elena I just don't know what got over me I shouldn't have grabbed you like that. Its okay we can stay and be here for Matt." Stefan said ignoring her comment about the blood. He could feel himself slowly loosing composer.

Elena smiled back at him, just then the ambulance crew came rushing to Vikki's aid. The Grill shut down for the night asking all its customers to leave so Stefan and Elena left to the car. Elena texted Matt letting him know that if there was anything he needed to let her know.

"Well that was an epic fail of a night." Stefan said as he held the door open for Elena.

"It wasn't your fault somethings just aren't meant to be I guess." Elena sighed trying to make light of the situation.

"Yeah, hey do you want to come back to mine and we'll order pizza?" Stefan asked.

"Sure, but I can't stay long, I promised Bonnie we would have a girl's night tonight." Elena said looking at the clock that already read 6:30.

"Okay that sounds good I'll make sure to get you home by 8, how does that sound?" Stefan said.

"Sure, Stef that sounds great!" Elena smiled.

"Wow, you live here?" Elena gasped as they pulled up to a very old but beautiful mansion.

"Yeah its been in the family for years. My dad left it to me and my Uncle Zach when he died." Stefan lied. 'these lies are killing me, but I can't tell her the truth. Especially not now, who ever tried to kill Vikki tonight is still around I can feel it. I just hope it's not who I think it is.' Stefan thought to himself.

They walked in to the house; the foyer was huge, it led to a living room that was decorated in vintage furniture and rugs. In the middle of the living area was a beautiful fireplace.

"Uncle Zach? You home? Elena and I are just going to order pizza there was an accident at the grill." Stefan yelled to his "uncle".

When there was no answer Stefan sighed "Well sounds like Uncle Zach must be out." Stefan said as he ordered the pizza.

"Do you want a tour of the house?" Stefan asked Elena as he saw her looking around.

"Sure, that sounds awesome." Elena smiled.

They walked around the very large Mansion, Stefan took her to many rooms all but one.

"Stefan is that room off limits?" Elena noted as they went past one of the bedrooms.

"Uh yes it's just really messy, mostly storage." Stefan lied. The truth was it was his brothers room, nobody had been in it for over 15 years and he planned to keep it that way.

"Oh okay…" Elena said. The door bell rang. 'saved by the bell.' Stefan thought.

"I am just going to go and get the pizza. Make yourself at home in the kitchen 'Lena." Stefan smiled.

As he opened the door Stefan was met with very unpleasant surprised.

"Hello brother." Damon Salvatore stood at the door holding a pizza box all the while dripping blood.

"What the fuck are you doing here Damon?" Stefan almost yelled.

"Oh, you know enjoying the scenery. Bringing Baby bro pizza, it looks like it." Damon smirked.

"Give me that." Stefan snatched the box from his brother's hands. "Now get in and go clean yourself up, and be quiet I don't want you making a scene we have a guest." Stefan said trying to calm down, Elena couldn't know about his brother. Not like this.

"A guest, hmm does this guest by chance have a name?" Damon inquired.

"Stefan is everything okay?" Elena yelled from the kitchen.

"Yeah just stay there Elena, I am coming sorry the pizza guy is just getting my change." Stefan lied. As he turned around to finish the conversation with his brother – who was gone.

"Damnit!" Stefan cursed under his breath.

Stefan brought the pizza to the kitchen they talked and ate.

"What do you think attacked Vikki?" Elena asked as she munched her pizza.

"I don't know Elena, it looked a lot like a dog or something, there was lot of blood, I didn't really get a good look." Stefan lied trying to avoid the questions.

"Hmm yes, sounds about right, maybe it was rabid." Elena smirked, 'I hate Vikki so much I hope she doesn't die but god do I hate her.' Elena thought.

"You really don't like Vikki, do you?" Stefan asked

"No, not really she is bad news. Jeremy hangs out with her a lot, I know that he's doing drugs, and I am pretty sure she is supplying them." Elena says angerly.

"Jeremy, as in your brother?" Stefan asked surprised.

"Yeah, that's why you found me in the boy's bathroom the first day of school. I was trying to confront him about it." Elena explained while she finished off her pizza.

"Hey Stef, do you have any siblings?" Elena asked

Stefan felt his throat getting dry, his chest tightening. "I um, no I don't." Stefan lied again, 'Damn, I can't handle this, she is asking so many questions.'

"Ah, that's too bad, I mean as much as Jeremy drives me crazy, I still love him. I don't know what I would do with out him." Elena sighed. "Well I hate to cut the night short, but I really need to head back home, you don't mind giving me a ride, do you?"

"No of course not, it was a nice night even with everything that happened." Stefan said with a weak smile.

"Yeah it was," Elena said as they walked to the car.

The drive back to her house was short they talked about their favorite songs. When they got to her house Stefan helped her out of the car.

"Thanks for such a fun night." Elena said as Stefan followed her to the door.

"Not a problem," Stefan smiled. He reached down almost to kiss her.

Elena felt her body stiffen, her heart quicken, she pulled away. "Yeah well, I better get in, see you Monday?" Elena rushed. Stefan snapped back to reality.

"Um yes Monday," Stefan said as Elena went through her front door into the house. 'I guess I got those signals wrong…' Stefan thought, feeling rather rejected. But he had much bigger problems waiting for him at home other than the rejection from Elena Gilbert.

Elena pushed the door closed, sliding her body down it to the floor. 'God what a night, first dinner is ruined by the bitch Vikki, then Vikki gets attacked. Now I rejected Stefan. Its just felt so wrong. He went to kiss me, and it felt so wrong…' Elena said as tears fell from her eyes.

She got her cellphone out of her purse and texted Bonnie, _hey Bon, I am home now._


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

When Bonnie got to Elena's house it was a little after 9. She didn't ring the doorbell in case Jenna was sleeping. _El, I am here could you come let me in -B_

Elena read Bonnie's message and headed down the stairs to the door. She let Bonnie in quietly so not to wake Jenna who was sleeping on the couch, passed out beside a bottle of wine and an episode of the Gilmore Girls.

"Hey, let's go upstairs." Elena whispered to her friend.

When they got upstairs Bonnie set her overnight bag down.

"Hey Bon, so Vikki was attacked by a dog tonight." Elena tells her friend.

"No way, is she okay?" Bonnie asks.

"I think so, Matt hasn't texted me yet." Elena said.

"Huh, that's crazy." Bonnie answered.

"Yeah so what's up?" Elena asked empathetically.

Bonnie grabbed a pillow from the bed ripping in. "Bonnie! What are you doing?" Elena squealed.

"Sorry Elena it's the only way watch." Bonnie said as she took her hands in the air, as if she was praying and suddenly the feathers from the pillow began to fly.

"Bonnie! What, what is going on?" Elena said mesmerized by the magically display.

"I am a witch… like an actual witch." Bonnie laughed.

"It's like in Harry Potter!" Elena laughed.

"This is what Grams and I talked about Elena, she said all the women on my mom's side of the family are." Bonnie said trying to be serious.

"This is crazy Bonnie, wait then that vision you had…" Elena said suddenly feeling extremely cold.

"Elena, that's the other thing we need to talk about. Grams said that there are creatures – vampires." Bonnie began to explain. "Wait, vampires?" Elena scoffed. "I am being serious Elena, Grams said that vampires can take away your memories." Bonnie said concerned.

Suddenly it clicked in her mind, if vampires can take away memories like Bonnie says then that night at the Lockwood's.

"Bonnie, do you think that I met a vampire the night my parents died?" Elena gasped.

"That's what Grams thinks Elena, and she thinks that he is still here…" Bonnie said looking to the ground.

"He… how does she know it's a he?" Elena was starting to feel scared.

"Elena the vision I had, Grams thinks it's the vampire." Bonnie answered.

"Then tonight, when Vikki was attacked… it was a vampire! I know it has to be!" Elena yelled.

"Elena, we don't know that." Bonnie said "Now, why don't we watch a movie! How about the Notebook!" Bonnie smiled at her friend trying to get off the dark topic.

After the movie Bonnie had fallen asleep leaving Elena to her thoughts. Elena got up to get a glass of water from the bathroom. She looked at her self in the mirror, her eyes were bloodshot from crying earlier, her makeup was smudged. She didn't feel beautiful anymore. She felt confused, angry, upset.

Why would a vampire steal her memories, what did he make her forget? What if he had his way with her? She gasped. She needed answers.

It was then she realized it. Stefan was alone with Vikki when she was attacked, he is squeamish around blood. 'Oh my God! Stefan is a vampire.' Elena thought to herself.

Checking to see if Bonnie was still asleep, Elena grabbed some sweat pants and a sweater. She snuck out the front door and got in her car. She needed answers and she intended on getting them tonight.

She drove to Stefan's house, pounding on the door, when there was no answer Elena tried the door. It was open. Inside the two brothers were fighting neither one hearing the door open.

"What are you doing here Damon!" Stefan yelled.

"I wanted to come home, is that such a crime?" Damon yelled back.

"After 15 years yes, it is, especially since whenever you come back people die." Stefan exclaimed. "And considering what happened at the Grill earlier you haven't changed!"

"Well little bro maybe I wanted to turn a new leaf, besides last I heard you weren't back home either. And that little waitress was just too delicious to pass up. I left her breathing though. Don't worry I wiped her memory nice and clean." Damon stated.

"Yeah well I wanted to come back Damon. People aren't your puppets you can't just use them for your enjoyment!" Stefan said.

"Oh, really just wanted to come back, it had nothing by chance to do with a certain brunette that so happens to be a carbon copy of your vindictive crazy ex? Now who's playing with people Stefan!" Damon whined.

"Elena is nothing like Kathrine!" Stefan growled, and he threw Damon in to a bookshelf.

Elena hid between the living room and the foyer trying to be as quiet as possible. She glanced at the to men fighting before her. Stefan was very angry, he was hitting the other guy at inhumane speeds. The other guy Elena had never seen before he was just smiling.

"Brother stop, listen." Damon said spitting blood as he talked.

"Don't distract me Damon I am going to kill you just like I should of the day you were turned!" Stefan yelled.

Damon grabbed his brother by the neck throwing him out the window.

Running through the window Damon pinned Stefan to the ground.

"Don't you ever think that I am weaker than you again! You have been feeding on animals for decades Stef, I on the other had get it from the right source! I am stronger than you, don't tempt me to kill you!" Damon yelled.

"Now I am sure you will want to explain this little facade to your little girl friend." Damon smirked.

"Leave Elena out of this Damon." Stefan said catching his breath, getting up from the ground.

"Hmmm, you really need to start drinking from humans Steffi, your dear Elena has been here the whole time you and I have been fighting. How did you not hear her heartbeat, or smell her fear?" Damon asked with a laugh.

"What!" Stefan shouted as Damon sped off into the night.

Elena came out of the house and ran to her car, Stefan running after her.

"Elena no, don't go I am sorry I can explain, please wait!" Stefan yelled at her.

Elena put down her window, "Please Stefan, let me go, I know… I know what you are. I don't want anything to do with you. Please." Elena yelled. Wiping tears from her eyes. She drove off. It started to rain. 'How could he lie to me, he told me he didn't have any siblings, yet he kept calling that guy his brother, and Kathrine… who is… _Kathrine, um no I am Elena. Oh, it's just you looked like someone I used to know…_ Suddenly the memory started to come back like flashes of lightening. Elena lost control of her SUV. 

In the dark Damon watched as Elena drove off, just as he watched the night of her parent's death. Just like the last time the thought. He ran at inhumane speeds after the car. He knew Stefan wouldn't go after her. He watched as the SUV swerved and buckled. He watched the car spin in the air and land on its roof. This time was different this time she was alone he didn't have to worry about trying to save anyone else. As he reached the car Damon knelt and pulled Elena's limp body from the wreckage. She slowly came too.

"Damon," Elena croaked out.

"Hey princess," Damon smiled.

Elena gazed at shining blue eyes before her world went black.

When Elena woke up it was so bright. She prided her eyes open and tried to get her surroundings. She looked around she was in her bedroom. How did she get there, her car… oh her car was totaled? She groaned.

"Elena! Finally, your awake!" Bonnie said so concerned. "I have to call Jenna."

"Wait Bonnie, what happened, how am I here?" Elena said.

"You don't remember?" Bonnie asked

"No." Elena said. All she could remember was crashing her car after her memory of Damon Salvatore came back. He was the stranger who told her he wanted her to get everything in life. He was also Stefan's brother, and the guy who attacked Vikki.

"A guy brought you here last night he said you had crashed your car, but that you were okay just needed rest. Aunt Jenna went to get your belongings from the impound. Where did you go 'Lena you could have died?" Bonnie gasped.

"I went to confront Stefan, Bonnie he's a vampire." Elena groaned. Her head was pounding.

"Oh my god really?" Bonnie said her eyes as wide as saucers.

"Yeah, I went to his house to confront him. He didn't answer the door, so I checked it, it opened. I walked in and heard voices. He was yelling at someone, his brother… he told me he didn't have siblings, but he was screaming at this guy. His face looked so angry Bonnie, his eyes were red. He said something about his brother hurting Vikki, and that people die around him. After his brother threw him out the window I bolted. Stefan tried to tell me to stop but I wouldn't. Then my memories came back. Stefan's brother – Damon. It was him Bonnie!" Elena explained taking a deep breath.

"No way!" Bonnie was freaking out.

"He was the one who took my memory, but he was also the one who saved me…" Elena whispered.

"Elena, I didn't tell you everything that Grams told me the other night." Bonnie said nervously.

"What do you mean Bonnie?" Elena gasped. 'what more could there be.'

"Elena, Grams said that the vampire in my visions, Damon, she said he is your soulmate. That is why I had that vision." Bonnie said grasping Elena's hand.

"… Soulmate." Elena said her body shaking. 'my soulmate is a monster!' Elena thought before her world went black again.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

When Elena woke up again it was dark in her room.

"Bonnie?" Elena croaked out.

"Elena, baby, are you okay?" Jenna said in a comforting voice.

"Yeah, I think so, did Bonnie go home?" Elena asked.

"Yes, sweetie she did, are you okay? What happened last night?" Jenna asked.

'I can't tell her the truth she would never believe me,' Elena thought to herself. "I went to see Stefan, I felt bad he tried to kiss me last night, and I rejected him. When I got there, he was in a fight with his brother; he lied to me he told me he didn't have a brother. Then his brother said I looked exactly like Stefan's ex-girlfriend and I sort of freaked out; so, I sped off in my car. It was raining a lot and I lost control of the car. I am so sorry Aunt Jenna." Elena said between tears. 'it wasn't completely a lie; I really do feel used because of Kathrine.'

"Oh, Elena I am so sorry, I know you really liked Stefan." Jenna said sympathetically.

"I am really sorry too." Elena said as she looked down to the ground.

"Well, there's only up from here now 'Lena." Jenna said smiling, "Come on downstairs and we will have some ice-cream and complain about boys, hey. We will talk about the car and insurance tomorrow okay?" Jenna joked.

'Boys, if only it was that simple,' Elena thought knowing that things were about to get very complicated. She had to talk to Bonnie's Grams.

Yesterday all that Elena worried about was looking good for a "date" with one of her best friends, now that best friend is a monster that lied to her.

"Yeah, that sounds good Aunt Jenna, I am really sorry." Elena said wiping her eyes on the end of her sleeve. She ran her fingers through her hair realizing that after the ice cream she really needed to take a shower.

"Oh, Elena its okay I am just so glad you are okay! I saw the SUV I have no idea how you made it out of that with out a mark on you. Girl you are so lucky. I mean if that nice young man wouldn't have come to your aid I can not imagine how the outcome would have been." Jenna said sincerely.

"About that man, what did he say? I would like to thank him." Elena asked, feeling a very uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach. She knew that Damon was a monster, yet something drew her to him, a magnetic force.

"Well, he didn't really mention much; it was a very messed up night 'Lena. Sheriff Forbes called saying that your SUV was flipped over a few miles from the Salvatore Boarding House; but that you were no were to be found. Then as soon as I was off the phone with her there was someone pounding at the door. When I got there a man was standing in the rain holding you in his arms. We got you to your room and then he was gone." Jenna explained as they went to the kitchen.

"Oh, he didn't say his name then or where he was from?" Elena inquired, already knowing who her savior was, a cold-blooded monster.

"No, sorry El, maybe we could call Sheriff Forbes she might know." Jenna said pulling the ice-cream from the freezer and scooping it into bowls.

"Yeah, maybe." Elena said grabbing herself and Jenna a spoon from a drawer.

"So, do you want to talk about what happened with Stefan yesterday?" Jenna said bringing the spoon of Rocky Road to her mouth.

"Like I said, he lied to me. I asked him if he had siblings yesterday, he said no. I don't really care too much about that though. It is the ex-girlfriend thing… I think he is trying to replace her with me." Elena said stirring her ice cream with her spoon.

"Hmm, maybe you should talk to him Elena." Jenna said empathetically. "I bet he didn't mean to hurt you dear, he seemed like such a gentleman yesterday."

"I guess, I could text him I suppose…" Elena said quietly. 'Speaking of texting… I have no idea where I put my phone.' Suddenly she remembered, during all the chaos the night before she had dropped it in the Salvatore house!

"There's the spirit El, why don't you do that!" Jenna smiled widely.

"I… actually dropped my phone at Stefan's house last night..." Elena sighed.

"Do you want me to take you to get it?" Jenna asked setting her finished bowl into the sink.

"Yes, please Aunt Jenna." Elena said finally taking a bite of her half-melted ice cream.

"Of course, sweetie, I'll go and change then we will head over." Jenna said heading upstairs.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea, I am going to go shower and change too. Thank you again Aunt Jenna." Elena said forcing a smile. She rinsed her half full bowl of ice-cream down the sink, she couldn't seem to get the feeling of dread to leave her stomach.

Half an hour later both Jenna and Elena came down the stairs. "Jeremy! Elena and I are going out. Don't get into trouble while we are gone okay!" Jenna yelled upstairs to the teenage boy.

"Okay, whatever Jenna, have fun!" Jeremy yelled back.

Jenna rolled her eyes at the boy's response. "Come on Elena lets get going, god knows we can't leave Jeremy in this house alone for too long." Jenna said as she gritted her teeth, she knew that her nephew was going through a really hard time. She often found drugs and alcohol in his room, she worried deeply that she was failing as Elena and Jeremy's guardian.

Elena and Jenna went to the garage and got into Jenna's Red mini cooper. Jenna pulled the visor down inspecting her teeth. She started the engine and buckled her seatbelt pulling on it twice. "Elena make sure your belt is secure." Jenna said eying her nieces seat belt.

"It's fine Aunt Jenna don't worry." Elena assured her. Ever since her parent's accident Aunt Jenna had become obsessed with car safety. Watching her Aunt's behavior made Elena feel terrible, knowing that the night before she wrecked her own car. 'Aunt Jenna must have been terrified receiving that phone call from Caroline's mom.' Elena thought, the thought giving her goosebumps.

Jenna turned the stereo on and turned up the volume, "Hey this song is my favorite!" Jenna said as the song "Back Streets Back" came blaring through the car.

Both Elena and Jenna sang the chorus of the song as they drove to the Salvatore Boarding House. The upbeat lyrics was an easy distraction for Elena as she calmed down and enjoyed the carefree time with her Aunt. This time was cut extremely short as they reached their destination.

When they got there Elena suddenly felt extremely nervous. She felt as if all the blood in her body was pooling at her feet. "Well were here, do you need me to go in with you?" Jenna asked, her hazel eyes intently looking at Elena.

"No, that's okay Aunt Jenna I'll be okay." Elena replied, 'No I won't be okay what am I thinking, there is a blood thirsty monster in there maybe even two. What about Zach is he a vampire too! There could be three blood thirsty creatures in there.' Elena thought as bile was creeping up her throat. She swallowed hard as she opened the car door and slipped out, her feet slowly hitting the pavement.

She could feel her heart in her ears as she reached the front door. She took the knocker in her hand tapping it slowly.

The door opened, however nobody was there. Elena pushed on the door slowly, her whole body shaking as she crept in.

She looked around the foyer seeing if she could eye her phone anywhere.

"Looking for something?" A voice came from behind her. Elena screamed, she jumped turning to face Damon Salvatore.

"Oh dear, I am so sorry I didn't mean to startle you kitten," Damon smirked.

"I uh, the door it was open. I came to see Stefan… I um left my phone here yesterday." Elena said trying so hard not to burst into tears. Her whole body was trembling, her heart pounding as if it would jump out of her chest.

"Well I am sorry to inform you; Miss Gilbert is it? But Saint Stefan is not here right now. Oh, how rude of me I didn't even introduce myself, I am Damon, Stefan's brother, we weren't properly introduced last night. That brother of mine has no manners!" Damon said sarcastically.

"Um, its nice to meet you Damon, I am Elena, but you already know that don't you?" Elena said, trying hard not to cry.

"Hmm, you sure do seem rather upset Miss Elena, you said you left your phone here? I did find a phone this morning in fact, just let me go and get it." Damon smirked as he walked into the living room.

"Now here it is," he said placing the phone into Elena's hand, lightly grazing her palm. She felt butterflies fluttering in her stomach, her cheeks getting warm. 'What was that feeling?' She thought as she pulled her hand away. Damon's eyes became wide with wonder as he had felt the same feeling.

"Well, um thank you Damon." Elena finally choked out, "I um have to get going my Aunt is waiting for me, could you please tell Stefan I came to see him?" Elena asked, trying to rush out of the house. 'He doesn't realize I remember the first night we met.' Elena thought to herself.

"Why yes of course Miss Gilbert I can do that for you." Damon said flashing a smile at her, "Good evening." He said as he closed the door. After he pushed the door shut Damon slid down it. Feelings rushing to him, it had been years since he had felt the rush of longing. Even last night pulling Elena from the car Damon never got that feeling. Yet just now when he placed the phone in her hands he felt it. An undeniable connection. 'What is going on?' he thought to himself realizing that he was shaking. If his undead heart could beat it would be pounding out of his chest by now. Emotions were coming at him in waves, for years he had shut it off, not cared. Yet now he sat there at the door coming undone.

On the other side of the door Elena stood there perplexed her mind racing with unrecognizable feelings. She walked to the car slowly pulling her phone from her pocket. 16 missed calls, 10 were from Stefan. 5 were Bonnie and 1 was from Jenna. Her voicemail was full. 'Uh that's going to be a mess to go through' she thought to herself.

When she got to the car Jenna was fiddling with the radio stations. "Oh, hey how did it go?" Jenna asked as Elena got into the car.

"Oh, um he wasn't home, his brother found my phone and gave it to me." Elena said looking up from her phone.

"Oh well you tried at least now you can just text him, right?" Jenna said pulling out of the drive way.

"Yeah your right." Elena said scrolling through her contacts, noticing there was someone in her contacts that was not there before, DAMON :).


	6. Chapter 6

Elena felt her mouth getting dry, 'Damon Salvatore had opened my phone,' Elena thought, 'he put his number in my phone… why?' Elena's hand was shaking as she scrolled down to Stefan's number.

She started to type... _hey, so about last night I think we need to talk. E_

'What was there to talk about really' she thought, 'Stefan is a vampire, I am a human, ergo I am his food. But what did Damon mean by he feeds on animal blood… either way he lied to me. We were supposed to be friends and he lied to me.' Elena felt as tears came to her eyes, she forced them away.

The car ride back home felt much longer than the one to the boarding house, there was no upbeat song this time. Instead the radio was playing Taylor Swifts "teardrops on my guitar". 'How fitting.' She thought to herself about the song playing, her mind going to Kathrine. 'Who is Kathrine?'

"Elena, hunny we're home." Jenna said noticing Elena dozing off.

"Oh, thanks Jenna, I think I am going to go to bed now. Thank you again for everything today." Elena said getting out of the car and heading to her bedroom.

"Your welcome Elena," Jenna whispered as her niece walked out of the room, 'Poor girl.' Jenna thought to herself seeing how sad Elena looked.

When she got to her bedroom Elena fell to the bed tears pouring from her eyes. She let out a sob. "Why can't my life ever be simple?" She says pulling her teddy bear close to her.

Her phone vibrates in her pocket. _I am sorry Elena, I never meant for you to find out like this. Please forgive me. Can I come over? S.S_

Elena gasped as she read the text. 'He wants to come over, I don't know if I should let him...' Elena thought to herself as she types back. _Okay, but please promise me you wont hurt Jenna or Jeremy. E_

Her phone buzzed quickly it was a phone call from Stefan,

 _"_ _Hey, look Elena I am so sorry! I would never hurt you, Jenna, or Jeremy. I am not like that I don't hurt people. I am so sorry you had to find out like this. Please let me come over and explain." Stefan says pleading through the phone._

 _"_ _Okay, I'll let you come over, but Stefan I don't want to regret my decision." Elena said shaking._

 _"_ _You won't I promise I won't hurt you. I care about you Elena." Stefan replied. "I'll be there in 5 minutes."_

As she set her phone down Elena felt sick. What was she going to say to him when he got there, so many things were rushing in her head.

Elena went downstairs to tell Jenna that Stefan was coming over. When she got to the bottom on the stairs she saw that Jenna was passed out on the couch again. A bottle of vodka beside her and a rerun of Friends playing on the TV. It was Jenna's coping mechanism get drunk and watch soaps. Elena sighed as she took the afghan from the lazy boy and placed it over Jenna. Jenna looked so childlike when she slept, her soft features mirrored Elena's mothers. Elena felt a tear roll down her cheek. 'Mommy I wish you were here.' Elena thought as she went to the door to wait for Stefan. She didn't want the doorbell to wake Jenna, so she went outside and sat on the Patio swing. It was cool out, the leaves were beginning to turn from their jade color to a more amber hue.

Elena saw Stefan's car pull up. She felt a lump growing in her throat as he opened the car door and walked to her.

"Hey." He said softly.

"Hey." She said back.

"Look I won't sugar coat this. I wanted to tell you, I just didn't know how. Its not like I really could have said, oh by the way I am a vampire, I must drink blood to survive and must wear this crappy ring to stay in the sun. You would have just laughed at my face." Stefan said gruffly.

"I realize that," Elena began, "But you were my friend, I trusted you and you lied to me. Not just about the vampire thing but about your brother, and," She couldn't finish her sentence the words were caught in her throat.

"About Kathrine," Stefan finished her thought for her.

"Yes, about Kathrine." Elena replied trying to stay composed.

"I don't know what to tell you Elena, I like you. Not because you resemble her, its because you are you. Your kind, loving and fun. I am sorry if I have ruined our friendship, please let me make it up to you." Stefan said pleading with his eyes.

Elena took a sharp breath in, "I want to believe you Stefan, I want to believe you wouldn't hurt me, but I just don't know. Bonnie told me that vampires can control my mind. I don't want to risk losing myself." Elena defended herself.

"I know Elena, I understand. I brought you a gift take it as a peace offering." Stefan said holding up a necklace. 'how does Bonnie know that?' Stefan thought.

"Its got a special herb in it called Vervain, if you wear it no vampire can mess with your mind. I would never mess with your head Elena, but please wear it so that you can trust me." Stefan begged. 'And to protect you from Damon.' Stefan kept to himself.

"Okay, I'll wear the necklace and we can still be friends, but I don't want anymore lies." Elena demanded.

"I promise I won't lie anymore Elena I'll tell you everything." Stefan promised. "Where do you want me to start?" Stefan asked.

"From the beginning, as I am pretty sure your Dad didn't buy you that car? Or die of a heart attack, did he?" Elena scowled. Opening the door to the house and ushering Stefan upstairs to her room, she glanced in her brother's room noticing he was passed out with his headphones in. 'Good he won't hear anything.' She thought to herself.

"No, your right he didn't." Stefan began his story.

"Damon and I were born here in Mystic falls, to Lillian and Giuseppe Salvatore. We grew up here in the 1800's. In 1864 we met a woman named Kathrine. Kathrine was special, but she was cruel. While Damon was off at war Kathrine and I became close, I loved her, or I thought I did. When Damon came back from the war he began to make advances with Kathrine, and Kathrine played along. She played us against each other loving us both. It was soon after, that Damon came to me and confided in me that Kathrine was a vampire. I realized then that my love for her was not real. She had compelled me to love her. But Damon, he loved her, she never compelled him. He begged me not to tell father. I played along for a while, but oblivious to me my father had put Vervain in our water. Kathrine had used me to feed from and when she did she became instantly ill. Vervain is a poison to vampires. My father knew what Kathrine was and he and some of his men tied her up. Damon came rushing to her aid believing that I told father. I begged my father to let her go for Damon's sake, but he just proceeded to chain her up in a carriage. Damon and I snuck out that night to save her, but when we found her we were shot down and Kathrine was taken to be burned with the rest of the vampires in town. Kathrine had been feeding us her blood daily, and when we were shot we had her blood was in our systems. When you die with vampire blood you become one, well not instantly but after you complete the transition by feeding from a human." Stefan stopped to take a breath looking deep in Elena's eyes, "do you want me to keep going?" he asked.

"Yes, please tell me." Elena said grabbing a blanket from her bed and curling up in it, they were sat in the window seat of her room, the soft glow of the moon peering in. Her mind was whizzing with all this information, she was beginning to feel very sad for Damon.

"After we awoke from our death we had chosen to not complete the transition. It was too painful Kathrine was dead and our father would never accept us back home. So, I went to say goodbye to him, he was shocked when he saw me. He told me he had shot us, that we were sympathizers and they were as bad as the vampires. He became violent and hit at me I defended myself unware of the new strength I held. He went flying into the wall and became impaled on a sword. I had an urge to taste the blood, I couldn't contain it all the control I had was gone, from the smell," Stefan shifted uncomfortably at the memory, his eyes glazing over, small dark veins creeping under his eyes.

Elena jumped.

"I'm sorry, its just the thought of blood…" Stefan said visibly embarrassed.

"No, it's okay you just startled me. What does it feel like? The..." Elena gulped.

"The bloodlust? It is un-satisfiable." Stefan explained.

"So, do you always feel like…" Elena didn't know how to finish the sentence.

"No, I drink from animals, I don't feel like eating you Elena," Stefan said knowing what she was thinking.

"But Damon, your brother he doesn't drink from animals? He was the one who attacked Vikki wasn't he?" Elena inquired.

"Yes, Elena he was the one who attacked Vikki, Damon is not like me Elena. He is cruel and manipulative." Stefan said proudly.

"Okay, please continue with your story." Elena said fixated on the words Stefan said about Damon, _cruel, manipulative… '_ yet he saved me? Why would he save me if he was so cruel, and why didn't he just kill me?' Elena thought about how Damon had saved her the night before and how when she went to their house he never attacked her. Was what Stefan said about Damon true?

"After I drank the blood from my father I had these amazing feelings I had never felt before, I could hear things like the chirping of a cricket that was hundreds of feet away, I could run so fast and not get tired, I felt invincible. I wanted Damon to feel what I felt so I found a girl and brought her to him. I forced him to drink from her, he tried to refuse. But I pushed I wasn't in my right mind. When all was said and done Damon hated me, his only purpose in life was to love Kathrine and with her gone he would spend an eternity alone. He promised me an eternity of misery and an eternity of misery it has been. Damon is a cruel man who kills without mercy. I have tried to reason with him and apologize for my mistake, but he is relentless." Stefan sighed as he finished his story.

Elena was shocked. 'How could Stefan think that it is all Damon's fault. The poor man is grieving. The only love he had known was a two-timing slut who on top of that died…' Elena thought to herself.

"Wow, that's a lot to take in one night, thank you for telling me," Elena forced a smile.

"Your welcome but I should really be thanking you, thank you for listening to me. I haven't told anyone what happened before." Stefan said sincerely.

'I can honestly understand why, you are an asshole who made your brother turn into a monster because you couldn't be alone.' Elena thought to herself. "Oh, it was no big deal Stef what are friends for." Elena forced out.

Stefan smiled happy that they were back to being friends, he reached down to take her hands, Elena pulled back, "I'm sorry Stefan but I really don't like you in that way, you're a really good friend." Elena said uncomfortably.

"Oh, I am sorry Elena I didn't mean to push you. I'll let myself out." Stefan said sadly walking out of her room.

Elena sighed feeling tears mounting in her eyes. She needed to talk to Bonnie, she needed to figure out what she should do. Bonnie's Grams would know, she was after all the one who told Bonnie that Damon was Elena's soulmate.

Elena grabbed her phone and texted Bonnie _hey Bon, sorry I didn't call you back, I was having a heart to heart with Stefan. Can you come over? I really need you. E_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Bonnie picked up her phone seeing the text from Elena, 'Finally she has gotten back to me, there is so much I need to tell her.' Bonnie thought as she replied _I'll be right over, we have a lot to talk about. Bon_

Bonnie grabbed her bag, containing a very important book, from the floor.

The drive to Elena's was quick, Bonnie was very jittery as she drove, 'There is so much Gram's found out about Elena.' Bonnie thought to herself as she placed the car in park.

Elena was waiting for her at the door when Bonnie arrived. Elena's face was pale, her cheeks had tracks were hot tears had fallen earlier.

"Awe 'Lena are you okay?" Bonnie said as the two friends went up to Elena's room.

"No, no I am not Bon." Elena said her voice breaking.

"What happened?" Bonnie asked concerned.

"Stefan came over, he told me everything. How he and Damon were born in the 1800's, and how him and Damon were turned in 1864 by a vampire named Kathrine," Elena replied gritting her teeth at Kathrine's name. Her heart sank every time she thought about how Kathrine used Damon. "He also told me that he forced Damon to become a vampire." Elena said frustrated.

"Wow, so did he explain who this Kathrine was?" Bonnie asked, 'I don't think he knows how important Kathrine really is.' Bonnie thought to herself.

"No, he just said that she was a vampire that loved both him and Damon. But that he didn't love her, that she compelled him to love her. However, he said that Damon loved Kathrine for real." Elena explained to her friend.

"I see," Bonnie said reaching in her bag to bring out a very old book.

"What's that Bon?" Elena said eyeing the book.

"This is my family history Elena, but its also your family history." Bonnie said as she went through the book reaching a very detailed page. "'June 1864, Miss Kathrine has asked me to prepare for the protection spell. She feels that our hosts are becoming suspicious of her. She has also asked me to enchant two rings for her pets. I am growing extremely nervous about her obsession with the Salvatore brothers. It is unhealthy for her to keep on with this infatuation. She assures me that she only loves the youngest and when they turn she will let the oldest go. I fear that she is overestimating young Master Salvatore's love. I believe she has compelled him. Emily Bennett.' Emily Bennett is my ancestor and apparently to grams Kathrine is yours Elena." Bonnie explained as she read a passage from the book.

"Oh, my goodness! Kathrine never loved Damon? What do you mean Kathrine is my ancestor?" Elena said shocked.

"From the information that Gram's managed to get from her research Kathrine Pierce gave birth to a baby out of wed lock. That child was given up and eventually had children of their own and one eventually married a Gilbert. Therefore, Kathrine is your like great, great grandmother…" Bonnie explained.

"Oh my god! I am Kathrine's fucking great grand-daughter and my soulmate happens to be one of her ex's?" Elena almost yelled forcing her hands through her hair frustrated. "Uh! This is insane! Bonnie how does any of this even happen!" Elena said pacing the room.

"I have no idea El, I mean yesterday we were just normal teenage girls. But now I am a witch and you are a descendant of an evil vampire with a vampire soulmate." Bonnie sighed.

"Yeah, well at least we aren't boring," Elena tried to joke, she was shaking so hard at this point.

"I hate to say it, but Gram's found out more information Elena," Bonnie said her mouth twisting.

"More?" Elena gasped. She couldn't grasp all this information.

"What I am about to tell you could be very shocking Elena you need to sit down." Bonnie warned her friend. They took a seat on Elena's bed, Elena's eyes were wide as Bonnie explained, "Over 1000 years ago the first vampires were created. The Originals they call themselves. The night they were created they used the blood of a young maiden named Tatia. From what Gram's could find out Tatia is also part of your family tree. But it gets even more bizarre. The oldest of the vampires created named Klaus was also part werewolf. The witch who created the Originals cursed Klaus so that his werewolf gene would be held dormant, but in turn this also cursed all werewolves to only turn on the full moon, it also made vampires burn in the sun. The curse of the sun and the moon can only be broken by the blood of someone called the doppelganger. Every 500 years a doppelganger is born, Elena you're a doppelganger. Grams found a photo of Kathrine in the old town archives, Kathrine is identical to you, and from the descriptions Grams has read about Tatia you both are identical to her." Bonnie took a breath looking hard at Elena.

"What does this all mean then Bonnie?" Elena said her whole body freezing.

"It means Elena, that Klaus is coming for you. The only time that your blood can be used is when the comet comes over Mystic Falls." Bonnie explained.

"But Bonnie that is only a month away!" Elena gasped.

"I know that's why we need to start to prepare." Bonnie explained.

"How do we do that exactly? How come this Klaus never used Kathrine's blood?" Elena asked.

"I don't know there wasn't any information about that, but maybe we could find her and ask her." Bonnie said.

"How do we do that Bonnie she's dead!" Elena stated.

"No Elena, Kathrine is not dead. Emily Bennett cast a protection spell on her, protecting her heart from being staked and her body from being burned. When all the vampires were cast into the church to burn Kathrine wasn't there, she met with Emily the night after and fled." Bonnie explained summarizing what she had read from the family history book.

"Oh my god, so this whole time Stefan and Damon have thought she was dead, she's been alive?" Elena could hardly breathe. Her mind was whizzing. 'I am a doppelganger, key to breaking a curse, a soulmate of my great, great or something grandmother's ex, and I am going to die!' Elena felt her stomach churn. She ran to the bathroom her and Jeremy shared and vomited.

Bonnie came running after her. "Oh gosh Elena are you okay?" she said holding her friend's hair back.

"No, I don't know what to feel right now Bon, this is all too much." Elena cried, leaning into the bathroom counter.

For now, there was not much that they could do. Tomorrow Bonnie would talk to Gram's and get an idea where to start with preparing for the battle of Elena's life. Until then both girls agreed they would get some sleep.

Below Elena's window Damon stood, mesmerized by what the girls had been talking about.

Hot tears threatening to leave his eyes, anger mounting in his chest as he whispered into the night, "Kathrine's alive."


	8. Chapter 8

warning there is a mild sex scene present in this chapter Chapter 8

Damon ran back to the boarding house, his whole-body humming. Emotions hitting him, knocking him over like waves in the ocean. He felt as if he was dying. Pain so much pain. 'this whole time Kathrine was alive, but she never came to look for me!' He slammed the front door. Gaining attention of both Zach and Stefan.

Stefan stood watching his brother, never in the 150 plus years of his life had he ever seen Damon so upset.

"What the hell is your problem?" Stefan yelled at his brother.

Damon looked crazy, his eyes were all over the place, he began breaking things.

"Woah! Stefan do something!" Zach yelled at Stefan as he dodged a vase.

Damon ran over to Zach and ripped his throat out. Blood was pouring all over the floor.

"Damon calm the fuck down what is wrong with you!" Stefan said grabbing a piece of a broken chair and pinning his brother against the wall.

"Kathrine… still alive… so much pain… I can't take this pain. Please help me! I can't shut it off... why can't I shut it off!" Damon yelled tears pouring down his face.

"Kathrine?" Stefan was so confused he shoved the piece of wood into Damon's abdomen causing the older man to fall to the ground. Stefan slipped Damon's ring off his finger and dragged his brother to the basement. He locked Damon in a cell.

"Brother, please, please kill me!" Damon pleaded with Stefan.

"What is this all about Damon, you are acting insane." Stefan said, even though he wanted so badly to do as Damon wished, something in the back of Stefan's mind wouldn't allow him.

"Went to see Elena, some witch was there, I overheard them talking – something about a curse and Kathrine. Elena said Kathrine was dead but the witch…" Damon made a horrible noise. "Kathrine, is alive Stef." Damon was bawling at this point. "She has been alive this whole time, yet she never came back for us. She just left us Stef. I loved her!" Damon was inconsolable.

Stefan was scared for his brother, he went to another room and when he came back he had a syringe. He went over to his brother and stabbed him with the needle. Damon instantly fell over.

"What… what is that?" Damon said barely coherent.

"It's concentrated Vervain it will help you sleep. I have to go and help Zach, you messed him up pretty bad." Stefan said locking the door to the cell.

Damon passed out, his mind wandering to the early days when Kathrine had "loved" him.

 _"'_ _Miss Pierce, please slow down.' Damon said as he ran through the forest after Kathrine._

 _'_ _Oh, but Mister Salvatore that would not be any fun, now would it.' Kathrine said as her long curly hair bounced. Damon caught up with her and grabbed her in his arms. They both fell to the forest floor giggling._

 _'_ _Mr. Salvatore this is highly inappropriate for a lady to be on the ground like this." Kathrine said as Damon reached down and placed tentative kisses on her._

 _'_ _Oh, but you are correct Miss Kathrine,' Damon said turning her, so her hips lay on top of his. 'This is much better.' He smirked, as she gasped feeling his arousal._

 _'_ _Yes, I do believe you are correct Mister Salvatore.' Kathrine grinned pulling his face to hers kissing him roughly._

 _Kathrine shifted her hand between them reaching into Damon's trousers. Damon groaned as she stroked him, "My sweet Damon, how you are so eager for me.' Kathrine mewed. Damon ripped at Kathrine's tights exposing her soft flesh beneath them. Swiftly entering her. Kathrine gasped, a wicked smirk enveloping her lips._

 _'_ _I love you Kathrine.' Damon moaned as he thrust in and out._

 _'_ _Oh, sweet Damon, I have never loved you, it was Stefan, it will always be Stefan.'_

Damon screamed as he woke from the nightmare, the cell was dark the only sound he heard was that of his own ragged breath. 'She never loved me, if she had she would have come back.' Damon thought to himself, sitting up on the dirty ground. 'I have to get out of here, I need to find Kathrine, make her explain to me why she did what she did.' Damon got up from the ground banging on the bars of the cell.

"Stefan! Let me out, I am not going to hurt anyone, I won't try to kill myself. Please Stefan let me out!" Damon pleaded with his brother.

There was no answer.

"Damnit!" Damon yelled kicking the door. He felt trapped, much like he was in the 50's.

He had once been captured by a society of doctors called the Augustine's. He had become their test subjects when a family member had sold him out. Every day he would endure countless torturous tests, and at night he would be placed in a holding cell. But while he was there he had made a friend, Enzo. When he had finally escaped he had to turn off his humanity, because while he escaped he had to leave Enzo his best friend behind. The pain of that was just too much. Being trapped in a cage again was bringing these memoires back. Damon felt so broken. In all his years living on this earth as both mortal and undead, he had never felt so alone.

Damon reached in his pocket bringing out his phone, realizing this was his only hope to getting out of this mess. 'thank god I creeped Elena's phone, I am sure she will help me.' Damon thought to himself while he clicked Elena's name and pressed call.

"Ring" "Ring"

Elena glanced over to her bedside table the clock read 3:30. She groaned as she grabbed her phone that was buzzing over and over. 'Who could be calling at this time if night?' she thought to herself. She read the caller ID Damon :). Her blood ran cold, 'why is he phoning me…"

"Hello?" Elena said as she answered the phone.

"Elena, hey. I am sorry to bother you so late at night… I need your help." Damon said trying to not sound desperate.

"Uh, you need my help?" Elena asked rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Yes, I um I appear to have gotten myself in a predicament." Damon replied gritting his teeth as he heard his phone beep 'shit I knew I should have charged my phone this morning.'

"Okay well, where are you?" Elena asked yawning.

"At the boarding house in the basement." Damon said just as his phone died.

"Shit!" he yelled throwing the phone at the wall.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Elena groaned as she slid out of bed, this weekend was proving to be exhausting. How was she even going to get to the boarding house, Bonnie had gone home, Jenna was asleep, and her SUV was totaled. 'I guess I am walking,' Elena thought to herself. She didn't even know why she was going but for some reason she felt compelled to help.

The walk was long, the sun was slowly rising as she got to the boarding house, the pink hue of the sunrise was beautiful.

Stefan's car wasn't parked outside, and the house looked dark. 'hmm I guess I'll knock anyway.' She thought. She went to knock but the door just fell open. 'Odd? Its like it wasn't even closed.'

She walked down the corridor to the stairs, Stefan did not show her this part of the house the other night, so she was unsure exactly were she was going.

When she got to the bottom of the stairs she called out, "Hello?"

Damon stood up from his position on the floor, "Elena? Hey keep walking straight." He yelled to her.

Elena opened her phone hoping the light from it would help her find a light switch, she found one mounted on the wall, but she was not prepared for what she saw. There were several doors on the wall all with bars over their windows. 'Cells? Why would a house have cells?' Elena thought to herself as she walked down the hallway.

"That's it I can hear your foot steps keep coming." Damon urged her on. "Now when you get to the end there's a pair of keys on the table please open this door."

"Why are you locked in a cell?" Elena asked as she fumbled with the keys.

"I may have over reacted to some information." Damon said apathetically.

As the door opened Elena gasped noticing the blood all over Damon's face and shirt.

"Oh, yes sorry about that I um, I attacked Zach…" Damon explained. Elena froze. "No, its okay, don't worry I am not going to hurt you." He tried to reassure her. Elena backed up and tried to run, but Damon grabbed her by the wrist.

"Don't go, I… I heard you talking to that witch." Damon said his eyes softening.

"You were at my house?" Elena choked out her eyes wide with fear.

"I um, I came to talk to you and, I… um your window was open, I have very good hearing. I may have heard somethings about Kathrine. I got a little upset and freaked on Stefan and Zach. So, Saint Stef locked me up. But well he's not here and I am getting rather hungry you see…" Damon shifted uncomfortably letting go of Elena's wrist.

"Your going to eat me aren't you that's why you called me…" Elena was crying.

"Oh god no! I wouldn't eat you! Your too cute to eat." Damon winked.

"I don't understand, then why did you ask me to come here?" Elena said wiping her eyes.

"Well, you and I have a common interest." Damon said going over to a fridge in the basement, pulling out a bottle of red liquid.

"What is that?" Elena said with a scowl on her face pointing at the bottle.

"Oh this, I have no idea, it might be squirrel or maybe puppy blood, its Stefan's but he wont mind me sampling it." Damon laughed.

"I thought you didn't drink animal blood…" Elena stated.

"Yes… 'he took a drink' well, desperate times call for desperate measures." He said as he gagged. "Hmm that is definitely a squirrel."

"So, what is this vested interest you spoke of." Elena asked turning her nose up at the disgusting sight.

"Kathrine." Damon replied.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Elena stood frozen to the spot. "You want to find Kathrine? After all she did to you?" Elena asked sternly.

"Hmm, for only meeting me yesterday, you sure seem to know a lot..." Damon commented as they walked up the basement stairs.

"Yes, well I know a lot more than I would like to, to be honest." Elena sighed as they reached the top. "How much of Bonnie and I's conversation did you overhear?" Elena asked wondering if he had heard the part about them being soulmates.

"Not too much, just the part where Kathrine is still very much alive and well..." Damon sneered.

"Oh, I see, well then you never heard the part about a curse that must be broken with my blood?" Elena asked wondering if Damon knew anything about the curse. She thought it best to leave out the soulmate issue for now, with everything else going on the last thing she wanted to do was shove that in the mix.

"Nope, I missed that memo." Damon said with an emphasis on the 'p'.

"Yes, well according to Bonnie there is an ancient curse that some crazy old vampire needs to break, and to do so he needs my blood and a comet." Elena explained.

"And you need Kathrine because?" Damon asked going over to the in-house bar and pouring himself a short glass of bourbon.

"Well, I am sure you are aware that Kathrine and I are "carbon" copies of each other?" Elena said reciting his line from the previous night.

"Hmm, kitten you are sure wrong about that. Yes, sure you are like identical looking, but you are much kinder." Damon smiled taking a tentative sip of his drink.

"Okay, but all things aside, Bonnie says that we are doppelgangers, Katherine and I, which means that either of our blood can be used for this ritual. I want to find Katherine and find out why this Klaus guy can't use her." Elena explained shifting her feet.

"I see, well I think that this grants a road trip then," Damon said pounding back the rest of his drink.

"Woah, road trip?" Elena asks.

"Yes, we are going to see a witch. Come, I am going to go and change then we will go." Damon said as he ascended the stairs to his bedroom; Elena following slowly behind.

When they reached the hallway, they stopped at the room that Stefan had told Elena prior was 'Messy and storage'.

"Oh, I see now! Stefan didn't let me see this room because its yours!" Elena blurted out.

"Ha-ha, Stef took you on the royal grand tour, did he?" Damon laughed.

"Yeah…" Elena said as Damon started to take off his shirt. Elena gulped watching him go for his belt, his body was like a Greek god. 'Oh my god, he is so hot.' Elena thought to herself her knees getting weak, "Um I'll just wait outside." She said her cheeks getting hot with embarrassment.

"Oh, okay its totally okay with me if you want to stay for the show." Damon said winking.

"No! I mean no, I'll wait outside." Elena said walking out of the room, gasping for air.

Damon chuckled pulling a clean shirt on, buttoning it, suddenly he looked to his hand. "OH FUCK!" he yelled.

Elena rushed in the room worried that something had happened. "What happened are you okay?" Elena said looking around the room trying to figure out what was going on.

"No, everything is all rainbows and butterflies, god damn Stefan," Damon paced back and forth.

"What about Stefan?" Elena asked.

"Hmm well you see, 'flashing his hand' my little sunlight ring he must have taken it." Damon said running his hands through his hair.

"Oh… well where do you think he put it?" Elena asked.

"Well, knowing him, he either put it in his pocket or its in his room." Damon said frustrated. "and if I know Steffi his bedroom window blinds are wide open and face the sun. shit!" he said as he slammed his fist through his wall.

"Well, um where is his bedroom?" Elena asked softly.

"Wait, you want to help me?" Damon questioned confused.

"I guess, I mean you haven't done anything to hurt me…" Elena said, 'not me but I mean he's attacked Vikki, and Zach...' Elena thought to herself.

"Well okay, um his room is across the hall, if it would be anywhere it would be on his desk beside his precious journal." Damon sighed. 'I hope its there I really don't want to have to wait to kick his ass, fuck, I shouldn't have been so weak to let him overpower me.' Damon thought thinking about how the night before he had crumbled. Getting all his emotions back had taken a serious amount of energy out of him.

Elena walked into the room adjacent to Damon's, it was slightly smaller and much less organized. She went over to the desk there were papers scattered slightly over the top. She rummaged through the stack feeling a hard-small object fall to the ground. She looked down and was surprised to see a ring identical to Stefan's with the small difference of a D instead of an S. She placed the ring in her pocket, just as she was going to leave the room a photo stopped her. It was like looking at a family photo album, the old torn photo dated 1864, Kathrine. Elena was drawn deep to the photo. 'Oh my gosh, this is Kathrine.' Elena was frozen.

"Hey, Elena if its not there don't worry about it!" Damon yelled from the hallway. Elena snapped back into reality setting the photo back down. "No, I found it!" She called back.

"Oh, thank fuck!" Damon exhaled.

"Here," Elena said handing the ring over to Damon.

"Thank you, I owe you." Damon said placing the ring back securely on the middle finger of his left hand. "That feels much better!" He exclaimed.

"So, um you said something about a road trip?" Elena gulped.

"Yes, to see a witch, if anyone would know how to find Kathrine; Bree will." Damon said as they went down the stairs.

"Well, I mean I could just ask Bonnie for help." Elena replied.

"No, the Bennett's and I are not currently on speaking terms, if you want help finding Kathrine we are doing it my way." Damon stated as he went in a little chest on the table beside the front door and grabbed his car keys.

"Okay, well I can't really just leave Mystic Falls, I have responsibilities and my Aunt Jenna would be furious." Elena responded.

"Oh, I see well let's go to your place and I'll have a nice little chat with 'Aunt Jenna'," Damon said as they walked to the garage.

"No, no compulsion. I mean it Damon, I'll figure something out," Elena said.

"Hmmm, really for only finding out about vamps yesterday, you really have a vast knowledge." Damon commented, as they entered the garage he went over to a car that had a sheet over it.

Pulling the sheet back he smiled, "Oh baby, how I have missed you, did you miss Daddy?" He asked as he bent down and kissed the baby blue 1969 Chevy Camaro Convertible.

'Uh, boys and their cars.' Elena thought to herself as she got the passenger side of the car and got in. Damon put the keys in the ignition, smiling happily when the engine roared to life.

Elena felt her phone vibrate in her pocket, she answered it.

'ELENA! Where are you!?" a panicked Jenna asked.

"I am so sorry Aunt Jenna, Stefan's brother called me last night his Uncle Zach was attacked by a dog, like what happened to Vikki. He came and picked me up, so I could help calm Stefan down." Elena felt bad lying to her Aunt.

"Oh 'Lena you should have woken me up! Or at least texted!" Jenna sighed in relief.

"Yeah, I am sorry Aunt Jenna, um would it be okay if I stayed with Stefan for awhile? He really needs support his uncle Zach is in a bad way." Elena lied.

"Um, sure that's okay, would you be home for supper?" Aunt Jenna asked.

"No, I um would it be all right if I spent a couple days over here?" Elena asked.

"El, I don't know… I mean you just said how confused you were about the whole Stefan thing..." Jenna replied.

"Aunt Jenna I don't mean that I would be sleeping with him! They own a boarding house there are many spare rooms, besides Stefan and I are just friends!" Elena defended herself, even though it was a lie she still didn't like how Aunt Jenna was trying to put words in her mouth.

"I'm sorry Elena, yes okay it is fine, but will you be stopping by to get your clothes?" Jenna inquired.

"Um, yes I'll be right there Stefan's brother told me he would drive me over." Elena sighed in relief.

"Okay dear, be careful." Jenna ended the call.

When Elena got off the phone Damon was staring at her. "What?" Elena said her eyebrows raised. "Nothing, I just didn't expect you to lie like that. You seem so righteous." Damon commented.

"Just drive." Elena snorted.

The drive was quiet, Damon put the radio on to cut the awkward silence. Elena was caught up in her own mind, two days ago her life couldn't get any simpler, high school junior, cheerleader, normal plain jane girl. Now, her best friend is a witch, there is an evil vampire out to use her blood to break some sort of curse, the friend she thought was a possible love interest is a lying asshole who locked his brother in a cell, said brother is apparently her soul mate who has serious anger issues and psychopathic tendencies. No, Elena Gilberts life was so very far from normal it wasn't even funny.

"Well we're here, did you want me to come and help you get your stuff?" Damon asked. Elena jumped getting sucked back into reality.

"Oh, no its okay, how long will we be gone exactly?" Elena asked to get an idea how much she should pack.

"Well, if everything goes good with Bree, like 2 days, but depending on how long it takes to track down Kit Kat, it could be like 2 weeks." Damon said nonchalant.

"TWO WEEKS! I can't be gone two weeks Damon, I have school and cheer oh god if I miss cheer Caroline will kill me! And Jenna would never let me be gone for two weeks!" Elena yelled.

"Hey, calm down, its either we find Katherine and figure out this whole blood thing. Or bye, bye Elena by the Comet, right?" Damon retorted.

"Okay, well… when you put it that way, but what am I going to do about Jenna, I can't tell her I need to stay at your house for 2 weeks and then not even been there!" Elena whined.

"Well, I already explained to you before the solution to that problem," Damon commented referring to compulsion again.

"No, its not fair to mess with people's minds Damon, I'll think of something else." Elena commented, remembering how he had compelled her when they first met. She realized she had never mentioned remembering that to him, she wasn't sure if she would.

"Okay well, the offer still stands regardless, now hurry up we need to get going before Stefan realizes I flew the coop." Damon said rushing her out of the car.

Jenna was in the living room when Elena got in the house. "El! Your okay! Come here!" Jenna pulled her niece into a hug.

"Hey Aunt Jenna, your still okay with me going to be with Stefan for a few days?" Elena asked.

"Yes, of course, but please be careful Elena." Jenna commented, again Elena felt like she was referring to sex.

"Mm, of course, I am going upstairs to pack. Oh my gosh I totally forgot about the car and the insurance!" Elena said realizing they were supposed to go over paperwork this morning.

"Hey, it's not a big deal sweetie we can talk about it when you get back, your friend needs you." Jenna smiled softly.

Elena smiled back sadly, 'if only she knew the truth, I feel so bad lying to her but its for the best, I don't know what this Klaus guy will do to me, he could hurt Jenna or Jeremy.' Elena thought to herself a shiver going down her spine.

She packed a small duffle bag with essentials, and she slipped in a sexy pair of underwear. 'why am I bringing these?' Elena blushed, she secretly wondered what the accommodations would be for this trip. Her mind going back to seeing Damon's bare chest. A honk pulled her back to reality it was Damon he was getting impatient. She pushed a pair of PJ's into the bag and zipped it up.

"Bye Aunt Jenna, I've got to get going Stefan's brother is waiting for me," Elena yelled as she went out the front door.

An adventure was waiting for her, Elena got back into the car, "Jesus what the hell was taking you so long?" Damon commented putting on a pair of sunglasses and pulling the top off the Camaro.

"Sorry, I just was talking to Jenna," Elena replied, putting her bag in the back seat.

"Okay, well let's get going, shall we?" Damon replied putting the car in reverse leaving the driveway.

"Where exactly are we going?" Elena asked as they pulled on to the interstate.

"Georgia." Damon replied in a bouncy voice.

"What!? Georgia!?" Elena said as Damon increased his speed.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Georgia! Damon that is like two days away!" Elena screamed.

"Calm down princess, its only two days away when you drive like a snail." Damon winked increasing his speed again.

"Damon! We will get pulled over if you keep driving this fast!" Elena squealed.

"Oh, Elena live a little," Damon smirked easing off his speed slightly. "Why don't you take a little nap."

"Hmm, I suppose I could, if you promise not to drive like a psycho." Elena pleaded.

"Okay, you sleep, and I'll drive safely, do you trust me?" Damon inquired.

Elena knew that she probably shouldn't trust him, after all just yesterday he ripped out Zach's throat and almost killed Viki; but there was a feeling of contentment she got around him.

"Yes, I trust you." Elena sighed leaning back into her seat. She felt sleep taking over, it had been almost three nights since she had a good sleep. Damon turned the radio down noticing Elena's eyes getting heavy.

He glanced over to the sleeping girl beside him, 'Elena looks so much like Katherine, yet her features are so much softer, kinder. I can see what my brother likes about her.' Damon thought to himself as he drove, reaching for the gearshift, he had promised Elena he wouldn't drive fast; but Damon Salvatore didn't like to be told what to do.

Elena slept for hours, for the first time in ages she didn't dream. When she woke up the car was parked, the hood on the Camaro had been put back up. "Damon?" Elena called out looking over to the empty driver's seat.

He got back into the car, "Oh, hey your awake, were here." Damon said smiling at Elena.

"What? How long was I asleep!?" Elena was so confused.

"About 6 hours. I told you it wouldn't take two days." Damon grinned.

"You sped, didn't you?" Elena sighed, 'of course he wouldn't listen to me,' Elena thought.

"Well, only a little, but I don't need to take a bunch of breaks, I am not human remember?" Damon commented.

"Hmm I guess," Elena replied fidgeting with her seatbelt.

"Okay well lets go in." Damon said pointing to the building they were parked in front of.

"Damon! That's a bar! I can't go in there!" Elena squeaked, she was 17.

"Of course, you can, come on!" Damon ushered her into the bar.

The heavy smell of alcohol filled the air. They went to the front of the bar, "Well while were here we might as well have some fun." Damon winked ordering a round of shots from the bartender. He whispered something to the bar tender Elena couldn't hear. The next thing she knew the bartender was handing Damon a little glass.

"Here, have a shot." Damon said holding up the shot glass that contained a pink looking liquid.

"What is that?" Elena asked intrigued.

"Just a special drink for a special girl," Damon grinned.

Elena took the shot glass from his hands.

"To new friends." Damon said clicking his glass to Elena's

"Yeah, to new friends," Elena smiled shooting the alcohol back it tasted like pink cotton candy.

"Yum, that is actually really good!" Elena smiled.

"I figured you were a candy girl." Damon winked ordering another round.

They shot another few, Elena laughed reaching over to Damon's chin wiping some bourbon off it, "Do you need a bib?" She asked her eyes shining.

"Not all of us can unhinge our jaws like a snake." Damon replied, "Do you play pool?" He asked tentatively.

"Yes, I am actually really good at it." Elena replied proudly.

"Oh, really Miss Gilbert. We will have to see about that." Damon said getting down from the bar stool, and heading over to a pool table. "You do the honors and break." Damon said taking the triangle out of the middle of the table.

They played for what seemed like hours, Elena hadn't had so much fun in such a long time, for once in what seemed like days she felt normal. "Let me help you," Damon said noticing that Elena was getting stuck hitting one of her balls, he reached threw her arms setting her cue.

She could hardly breathe feeling his muscular chest against her back, he breathed lightly on her neck she could smell the deep scent of bourbon coming from him. Underneath the bourbon was another smell, something between the smell of the forest and a heavenly masculine smell. She could feel her head getting light.

Damon felt her heart beat raise when he reached between her arms to hold the cue. He felt a warmth touching her skin. She smelled like vanilla mixed with the candy smell of the drink she had. It was intoxicating. He felt himself growing hard. He pulled away as she hit the ball.

The ball went into the pocket, and just like that Elena won! She jumped in the air excited.

"I told you I was great at this game!" Elena said beaming.

From across the room a tall, slender woman; with skin as dark as chocolate, stared as they walked back to the bar.

"Well, now if it isn't the man that broke my heart." The woman said directly at Damon.

"Bree, baby how have you been," Damon said pulling the woman into a deep kiss.

Elena's eyes nearly popped out of her head, she felt a gag coming to her throat.

"Uhm," Elena elbowed Damon in the ribs.

"Oh! How rude of me Bree, this is Elena, Elena this is Bree." Damon grinned noticing how flushed Elena's cheeks looked.

"New play toy, Damon?" Bree asked motioning to Elena.

Elena felt anger rising in her stomach. Just as she was going to defend herself Damon spoke, "Hah, very funny witchy, no Elena's my friend." Damon smiled at Elena, "And this isn't just a friendly house call, B. I need your help." Damon stated.

"The mighty Damon Salvatore has friends! That's rich! and what makes you think that I am going to help you?" Bree answered pouring herself a drink, offering one to Damon, he took the drink sipping it.

"Well, I don't think you are Bree, I know you are. You owe me remember?" Damon pointed out, Elena wasn't sure what he was referring to; but she didn't feel like now was the time to ask.

Bree gritted her teeth, a look of discomfort washing over her face. 'Whatever she owed Damon for must have been big,' Elena thought seeing the woman's reaction.

"Yes, okay, bring your "friend"; lets go upstairs" Bree said escorting Damon and Elena to the upstairs portion of the bar. "What do you need Damon?" Bree asked moving around the alcohol in her glass with a straw.

"I need you to do a locator spell," Damon began, he explained the events that had occurred the prior evening asking Elena to explain the curse to Bree.

"Well, okay that's a lot of information." Bree gasped.

"Your telling me," Elena said taking a sharp breath in. "Yesterday I was a normal teenage girl." Elena sighed.

"Well, even if I wanted to help you Dam, I don't know if I can." Bree said gulping her drink.

"What do you mean B?" Damon asked harshly.

"Well I need something of Kathrine's, and I cannot guarantee that it will work." Bree said as she set her glass on a little table.

"Would Elena's blood work?" Damon said pondering what they could use, he had never gotten any personal affects of Kathrine's.

"We can try…" Bree said walking to a cabinet in the room grabbing some salt, a map and a knife.

"WOAH! What do you mean use my blood Damon!" Elena said shocked, her heart beat racing looking at the knife in Bree's hand.

"Oh Elena, the spell only needs like a drop, its not like we are going to drain you dry." Damon scoffed.

"Okay, but I mean when I start bleeding, your going to …." Elena could barely breathe.

"Ha-ha, oh my god this is so rich, "breath" you think "laugh" I am going to lose control." Damon was in hysterics. He took a deep breath to stop laughing, "Elena I am not going to eat you, how many times do I have to tell you that. If it makes you feel better, I'll leave the room?" Damon said placing his hand over hers.

Instantly both felt shocks, little lightning bolts racing through them. 'Woah.' They both thought. "Um, no its okay you can stay." Elena said, feeling a little unsure about everything, but she knew that this might be the only way to get the answers she needs.

"Okay let's get started," Bree said as she placed the map down and drew a circle on the floor with the coarse salt around her, Elena and the map. She took the knife and Elena's hand and pricked it. Elena gritted her teeth. Chanting some words, Bree dropped the blood from the knife on to the map. The lights flickered in the room, Damon watched intently as the blood moved on the map.

"Well, it looks like its your lucky day D." Bree said noting that the blood had stopped moving on the map.

"What does it say?" Elena asked looking at the map.

"God damn it." Damon said realizing where the map would lead them.

"Kathrine's in Mystic Falls." Damon gasped, Elena's eyes went wide.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"Mystic Falls?" Elena was so shocked. "We have to get back there right away, someone might think that she is me!" Elena said worried.

"We will leave right in the morning, for now Elena we have to get some rest." Damon said acknowledging his fatigue, even though he was a vampire this day had been very stressful. Another thing he needed to find was some blood. "Come on, lets go and find a motel." Damon said yawning.

"I thought you said vampires didn't need breaks?" Elena reminded him.

"Yeah, well most days I am not chasing after my crazy ex girlfriend." Damon commented as he placed three hundred-dollar bills on the bar. "Keep the change," he winked at Bree.

"Thanks D. Look don't be a stranger you hear," Bree smirked, leaning in for another kiss.

"Hmm, I think one kiss is your quota don't you Bree, we don't want to rekindle any feelings would we." Damon stated fixing the collar of his shirt. Bree swallowed and nodded. "Have a good night Damon, it was nice meeting you Elena. I hope that everything works out for you with that Klaus guy." Bree said as the two friends walked out of the bar.

When they reached the car Elena felt sick. "Hey you okay kitten?" Damon asked endearing.

"Yeah, I just am worried about everything." Elena sighed, her phone began to vibrate in her pocket. She gulped looking down at the name Stefan.

"You gonna answer that?" Damon asked.

"It's Stefan…" Elena said feeling vomit rising to her throat.

"Oh, baby bro is worried about his girl hey?" Damon replied emphasizing "his girl".

"I am not Stefan's GIRL!" Elena yelled.

"Oh, holy calm down princess I just assumed that Steffi and you were…" Damon said "Here, I'll take that call for you." Damon said grabbing her phone.

"Elena's phone," Damon smirked.

"Damon! What they hell are you doing with Elena's phone? Where is she? What did you do with her? How did you GET OUT OF THE BASEMENT?!" Stefan yelled over the phone.

"Oh Steffi don't get your panties in a knot. I haven't done anything to Elena, we simply went on a little trip." Damon chuckled, he loved to get his brother worked up.

"A trip Damon? You took a human on a trip?" Stefan said with disbelief.

"Yes, Stefan I took a human, a very sexy might I add human, on a trip." Damon said winking at Elena, Elena felt her cheeks getting hot. She grabbed the phone from him.

"Stefan, Hi." Elena said.

"Oh, my god Elena are you okay? What has he done to you? Do you still have your necklace on?" Stefan could barely get all the words out.

"I am fine Stefan, I wanted to come with Damon, I needed to talk to a friend of his." Elena explained.

"A friend of Damon's?" Stefan could not believe what he was hearing.

"Yes, Stefan a friend of Damon's, anyway we are on our way back to Mystic falls. How is your Uncle Zach?" Elena said wondering why they called him Uncle Zach, they were obviously much older than him, and obviously Zach wasn't a vampire if Damon attacked him.

"He's okay, Damon told you what he did?" Stefan said, this night was really proving to be confusing.

"Yes, he said he didn't mean to hurt him," Elena said trying to defend Damon's actions, Damon looked at her perplexed. 'Why is she trying to justify my actions?' Damon wondered to himself.

"Why are you trying to defend him Elena, he's a monster!" Stefan yelled over the phone.

"Stefan." Elena replied harshly.

"Its not safe to be around him Elena, he kills without remorse, feeds off innocent people, he has no conscience." Stefan pleaded.

"Stefan, I have to go, please. I know what I am getting into and I am fine, don't worry about me, I will see you tomorrow." Elena said as she hung up the phone she heard Stefan yelling at her not to hang up. She shut her phone off.

"Can we find somewhere to sleep now?" Elena said as she got into the car.

"Yeah, I saw a place just outside of the city on the way in, we will go there." Damon said, "Are you okay Elena?" He asked genuinely concerned.

"Yes, no, I don't know." Elena said running fingers through her hair.

"Well, if you ask me I think that you are really brave." Damon said setting his hand over Elena's; his ocean eyes melting into her own chocolate ones.

"Thanks," Elena blushed putting her other hand over his. "You're a really good friend Damon, I know that you have been through so much." Elena said looking sadly at him, "I realize that Stefan thinks you're a monster, but I don't. I think you are hurting." Elena stated, Damon's eyes went wide.

"I… I don't know what to say Elena, nobody has never said anything nice like that to me before." Damon said shocked. "I wasn't always so broken you know, you should have met me in 1864, I was much nicer then, you would have liked me." Damon smirked, remembering the man he used to be.

"I like you now… just the way you are," Elena said her eyes fixated on his lips, she licked her own. Damon's eyes went to her lips. He sucked in a breath, slowly closing the gap between them. His arm push against the gearshift of the car uncomfortably. He reached his head down towards hers. Elena felt her heart pounding, she had only ever kissed Matt, and honestly it wasn't much of a kiss. She felt the warmth of Damon's breath as she reached up and their lips met. It wasn't a fast kiss, it was slow and burning, like all the oxygen from the air had been sucked into them. They felt as they were on fire. Damon had never felt like this with anyone before not even Kathrine. Elena felt as if her whole body was covered in little needles. They broke apart. Elena couldn't breathe.

"Wow..." she finally choked out.

"mmm yeah," Damon said his body tingling.

"Um we should probably get going," Elena said noting the time, it was already 1:30 am. 'I just kissed Damon Salvatore.' Elena thought her hand reaching to her lips. Damon started the car, they drove the rest of the ride in silence, both caught up in their own thoughts.

When they reached the little motel, Damon went and got keys for a room, while he was there he compelled the front desk girl and fed from her. Once he was finally satisfied he bit his wrist healing the clerk and then once again compelling her to forget.

"There was only one room left." He said as he grabbed Elena's bag from the backseat of the car.

"I can carry that," Elena said grabbing at the bag, "its fine kitten I can get it you just follow me." Damon said smiling at her.

"Okay Damon, but I am not an invalid." Elena pouted.

"Oh, I know princess, but let me be a gentleman okay?" Damon asked, Elena realizing that he was just trying to be nice.

"Okay, sorry." Elena sighed as they got to their room. The first thing she realized was that there was only one bed.

"Uh… you were sure this was the last room?" Elena said feeling a lump growing in her throat.

"I won't try anything Elena, we are just here to sleep, look I'll stay on my side, you stay on yours, okay?" Damon stated, setting her bag on the table beside the bed.

"Uh yeah okay," Elena said grabbing her pj's from the bag, and going to the bathroom to change.

There wasn't anything special about this motel, 'the next time we go on a trip I am taking her to a fancy hotel.' Damon smiled to himself. 'the next time?' Damon thought to himself surprised he was thinking about taking her places. Elena emerged from the bathroom ready for bed.

"Cute PJ's." Damon smirked, as he kicked off his shoes and laid back on the bed, holding his arms about his head.

"Uh, thanks. You're not going to sleep in your jeans, are you?" Elena asked noting he was still fully clothed.

"Are you sure you'd be comfortable with me just being in boxers?" Damon was shocked.

"Um, I just mean that it wouldn't be very comfortable for you to be fully clothed going to sleep would it?" Elena asked her cheeks burning.

"No, I suppose it wouldn't." Damon said slipping off his shirt and unbuckling his belt. Elena couldn't move her eyes off him, her mouth hanging open, she watched as he wiggled out of his jeans and socks, until all he had on was his black plaid boxers.

"See something you like?" Damon laughed, Elena snapped her jaws shut.

"I…" She could barely get out when he got up and whooshed over to her at vamp speed. He took his hand and lightly caressed her cheek.

"Come, lets get some sleep." He said guiding her to the bed. She lay close to the wall, fluffing her pillow before putting her head down, Damon slid beside her careful to give her space. He reached for the lamp and soon the room was dark.

"Damon," Elena said into the blackness.

"Hmm," He replied.

"Why don't you let people see the good in you?" Elena asked looking into the dark trying to find his eyes.

"Mm, because when people see good, they expect good, and I don't want to have to live up to anyone's expectations." Damon reflected.

"You're a good man Damon," Elena replied before she drifted off to sleep, feeling strong arms wrap around her.

Damon wrapped his arms around the small girl beside him. He breathed in her hair, it smelled like water lilies, 'if only you really knew me,' Damon thought to himself, 'you wouldn't look twice at me, one of these days you'll see, Stefan is the one you want.' Damon sighed as he felt sleep over take him.


	13. Chapter 13

This Chapter has Sexual themes view discretion is advised Chapter 13

The sun came shining through a crack in the blinds of the motel room, a beam of light setting on her eyes, Elena began to stir in her sleep. She felt a heavy weight on her. She opened her eyes, slightly shocked to see someone beside her. Getting her bearings, she remembered the night before. She glanced over at Damon sleeping soundly, 'he looks so angelic like this,' Elena thought to herself smirking, angelic and Damon in the same sentence seemed almost impossible. His eyes began fluttering.

"Oh hey, sorry I guess I intruded on your personal bubble," Damon said as he removed his arm from Elena's side.

"It's okay, you weren't bothering me at all. The sun woke me up." Elena said stretching.

"mm, I see well we should get ready to get back to reality," Damon said slipping out from the blankets, pulling his pants and shirt back on.

"Yeah, I guess your right." Elena said going to the bathroom, she looked in the cracked mirror, 'this place sure is a dump,' she thought. She took her toothbrush out of her bag and brushed her teeth, she dug around the bag to get her shower gel and shampoo. Slipping out of her pj's placing them back into the bag; her 'sexy' underwear falling to the floor in the process, 'mmm, well I think I might actually wear these today' she smiled as she slipped into the shower.

Her mind was racing as the hot water poured on her body, taking the soap in her hands creating a thick lather. The thoughts going to the kiss her and Damon had shared the night before. She felt a fire coming between her legs, she began to stroke herself gently, imagining it was his hands. She moaned, thinking about how his lips felt on hers, how his scent was intoxicating; her heart was beating wildly as she moved her hands quicker. She let out a silent scream, moaning his name in the process. She rinsed off and washed her hair. 'Today is going to be a good day' she thought as she got out of the shower, drying off and getting dressed in a flowy dress and black leggings. She brushed her wet hair and put it in a pony tail, securing a loose strand with a bobby pin. She put some coloured lip gloss on and packed up her bag.

Behind the bathroom door Damon stood in shock. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop on her, but with vamp hearing sometimes it was hard not to. He hadn't quiet understood at first what she was doing in there until he heard the moaning, then he smelled her. A sweet smell like April rain mixed with an earthy womanly smell. The smell was driving him nuts. He wanted to walk away from the door, but he just couldn't he stood there frozen on the spot, his pants growing uncomfortably tight. He leaned his head against the wall, panting trying to calm down, Elena's moaning had gotten louder, causing him to hiss in pain, his erection pushing painfully against his zipper. He dared not deal with it in fear she would walk out of the bathroom at any moment; so, he just stood there. Then he heard it, 'she just screamed my name!' Damon thought to himself almost exploding in his pants. He had to get out of there. He ran outside and snuck into a storage closet that the house keeping had forgotten to close. He ripped his pants open and began to deal with his serious issue, cleaning him self up with some toilet paper and disposing of the evidence; he got back to the room just as Elena opened the bathroom door. 'God, she looks so beautiful,' Damon thought to himself.

"Hey, sorry I took so long, had to wash all of this hair," Elena laughed pulling her pony tail. Damon smiled, for he knew exactly what took so long.

"Well let's get out of here, we've got a vindictive ex to find." Damon said leading the way out of the motel room.

The ride back to Mystic falls was full of adventure. The two friends talked, and talked, and talked.

"So, tell me what was it that you did for Bree, that she owed you for?" Elena asked intrigued.

"Okay, so she had this big problem a while back with vamps coming into the bar and killing her customers. Her and I kind of had a thing, it was mostly sex, well for me it was anyway, she thought it was more. But besides the point, she asked me if I could deal with her little problem. So, I helped her get rid of her little vamp problem but in the process, I pissed off a lot of my "friends." So, I made sure she knew she owed me and we broke off our 'relationship'." Damon explained as he passed a car.

"So, what you are saying is that you went behind a bunch of vampires backs for love?" Elena asked smiling.

"No, not for love, just because I felt like it." Damon said gruffly. "Anyway, I have a question for you." Damon said lifting his eyebrows.

"Okay…" Elena said curiously.

"Do you like my brother?" Damon asked seriously.

"What do you mean do I like Stefan?" Elena asked confused.

"I mean do you want him?" Damon replied.

"No. I don't like Stefan in that way. He's a good friend, but relationships are built on trust and I don't trust him," Elena explained fidgeting with her Vervain necklace.

"But, you trust me?" Damon asked softly.

"Yes, I trust you." Elena mewed.

"Why?" Damon asked abruptly, "Why can you trust me, a cold-blooded, serial killer?" Damon seethed.

"Why do you do that? Tell your self you're not good enough?" Elena asked in wonder.

"You don't know me Elena, I am bad, I am bad for you." Damon said his eyes securely on the road.

"Could you let me be the judge of that?" Elena asked, her answer caught Damon off guard. He chewed his lip.

"Can I trust you with something Elena?" Damon asked.

"Of course, you can tell me anything." Elena said putting her hand over his.

"I am not human Elena, and I miss it. I miss it more than anything in the world. That's my secret." Damon said a small tear falling from his eye.

"Damon, I think you are more human than you think you are." Elena said squeezing his hand slightly.

"Why are you so nice to me?" Damon asked her, wiping the tear from his eyes and putting on his sunglasses.

"Because you have never given me a reason not to be nice to you, and because you saved me when you could have let me die." Elena said acknowledging that she remembered him saving her from her car roll over.

Damon chewed his cheek, "Elena, your different from anyone I have ever met before, I can't lie to you, I have to tell you the truth." Damon pulled over to the side of the road turning the car off.

"You tell me you can't trust Stefan is it because you think he would compel you?" Damon asked.

"No, its because he has lied to me." Elena said once again twisting the necklace on her neck.

"I realize that, but Elena, I met you already, before the night Stefan and I got in that fight." Damon said, Elena sighed grabbing his hand again.

"I know Damon, I remember it was the night that my parents died." Elena said, Damon's eyes growing wide with wonder.

"What… how can you remember that I…" Damon was speechless.

"You compelled me, I know." Elena rubbed her thumb over his palm.

"But you shouldn't be able to remember that." Damon said visibly upset.

"To be honest with you Damon I haven't been truthful with you either." Elena exhaled, 'I think its time I told him everything Bonnie told me.'

"What do you mean?" Damon felt his chest tightening, 'She loves Stefan, I know that's what it is, its always Stefan…'

"The night that I crashed my car, I had been talking to Bonnie. She just found out that she has psychic abilities and that she comes from a line of witches. I had been slowly getting the flash backs, memories of meeting you, I didn't know what they meant. Bonnie had touched me to try and snap me out of it. When she touched me she saw these images, of a raven, a man and the words this is just the beginning." Elena took a deep breath, Damon sat in the car frozen, his eyes not moving off her. "I told Bonnie about my memories, she said she would talk to her Grams about them, when she got back that night she told me that…" Elena couldn't finish her sentence she didn't know how.

"Told you what Elena?" Damon asked sternly.

"She told me the reason I was getting the visions was because I was destined to be with you Damon, because you're my soulmate." Elena spit out.

"What?!" Damon said his eyes so wide, his mouth hanging open.


	14. Chapter 14

**This Chapter is a bit short sorry, but it is a bit of a filler chapter.**

Chapter 14

"I know it was a shock to me too," Elena sighed, "but the more time I spend with you, the more I believe it."

Damon just sat quietly, staring at the woman in the seat next to him, 'soulmate, a witch told her I am her soulmate.'

"I didn't want to tell you so soon, I mean we've only really known eachother for like 4 days," Elena said, "but I just didn't think it was fair to keep it a secret anymore." Elena exhaled. "Damon please say something." Elena asked looking at him.

"I… well, hmm." Damon didn't know what to say, what do you say when someone tells you something like that. "Well, I know that I have never felt the way I feel about you, ever before." Damon said starting the Camaro again.

"And I have never felt about someone the way I feel about you either," Elena said smiling.

"So, what is it that we do about this then?" Damon said as he pressed his foot down a little harder on the accelerator.

"Well, I guess we could start by introducing ourselves, hi I am Elena Gilbert, I am 17, my mom and dad – Miranda and Grayson Gilbert died in a car crash last year, I have 1 brother, until last week I was a normal teenager. However, really I am a doppelganger, whose blood needs to be used to break a sun and moon curse. Oh and my soulmate is a vampire! How do you do?!" Elena laughed as she said her silly introduction.

"Well, Miss Gilbert hi, I am Damon Salvatore I was born in Mystic Falls on June 18, 1839 to Gusieppie and Lillian Salvatore. My mom died when I was 17 of consumtion in 1858; and Stefan killed my father. I also have 1 brother. I was turned into a vampire in 1864 by Kathrine Perice when I was 25. Therefore, I am for eternity an eternal stud." Damon winked at Elena.

"Well now that introductions are out of the way how about we go on a date?" Elena giggled, 'this whole scenario is ridiculous.' But as crazy as it was this silly stuff was keeping Elena's mind off of Klaus and the curse. For once in months Elena felt alive.

"Well now Miss Gilbert we will do just that, the Mystic Grill does have pretty good food." Damon said jokingly.

"Uh, maybe we should go somewhere else I don't want you eating Viki again!" Elena gagged, she didn't want her boyfriend anywhere near that skank, 'wait did I just say boyfriend?' Elena smiled to herself.

"I won't eat any waitresses while we are out on a date, kitten." Damon smiled, she made him laugh, for once in over 150 years Damon felt human again.

"Okay, well um… I hate to ask but is there any other way you can get your…" Elena didn't know how to ask him not to eat people.

"Elena, for you I will stop eating people, If that's what will make you happy. But I cant go on the animal diet my brother does. I will get blood bags from the hospital but I will not drink animal blood," Damon said gagging.

"Thank you Damon," Elena said squeezing his hand.

"Baby, why don't you take a nap we will be home in a few hours." Damon said stroking her hand.

"Maybe, I just am going to turn on my phone and check if Jenna called at all." Elena said pulling her phone out of her pocket and switching it on.

Her phone turned on 21 missed calls – Stefan, 'ugh, can he not get the message.' Elena sighed as she cleared off all of her call history.

Text from Bonnie _hey 'Lena are you home? Is everything okay I haven't heard from you in a while?_

Text from Caroline _ELENA GILBERT where are you! you missed cheerleading practice._

Elena groaned.

"Everything okay princess?" Damon asked concerned.

"Yep, just Caroline is pissed at me, Stefan is obsessed with me and Bonnie is worried." Elena sighed.

"Well, love, you just lay down and have a nap we will be home before you know it. Then you can deal with your friends and I can deal with my brother." Damon said.

"I can handle Stefan, Damon." Elena warned.

"Elena, I don't want you to get hurt, when Stefan gets mad, he can't control himself sometimes." Damon said not wanting to scare her.

"Well, you get mad and can't control yourself sometimes, but I know you wouldn't hurt me, so I am sure Stefan would be the same." Elena said dozing off.

"I wish you were right 'Lena." Damon whispered, hoping that when Stefan finds out about them that he won't revert to his Ripper ways. Damon felt a shiver down his spine.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

As they got back into Mystic Falls, Damon smiled over at the girl in his passenger seat. It had been years since he had felt this happy. Even with all the crazy stuff going on with Kathrine and the curse, Damon felt as if everything would be okay, as long as he was with Elena he could handle anything.

They pulled into Elena's drive way just as the sun was setting, "Babe, time to wake up, we're home." Damon said putting the car in park, he gently shook Elena's shoulder.

"Mhmm, already?" Elena said rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Yeah, you've been out for hours." Damon smiled getting out of the car, going to her side and opening the door. "Come on, lets get you inside before you get cold." Damon said grabbing Elena's bag from the car and holding her hand as they walked up the drive way.

He set her bag down on the step as they came to the door. Elena felt her heart racing as Damon's hand came up and stroked her cheek, "You know you are the most beautiful girl Elena," Damon sighed tilting his head to the side.

Elena swallowed hard, chewing lightly on her lip. "Mhm, thank you Damon, you are very handsome yourself." Elena replied, Damon tilted his head down, his forehead leaning on her own. She brought her lips up to his, this kiss was much different from the first one. It was soft and compassionate.

The door behind them opened, "Elena!?" Jenna called out, her eyes wide with wonder, Damon and Elena quickly broke apart, "Uh! Oh! Aunt Jenna!" Elena stammered trying to regain her composer, she felt embarrassed.

"Um, why don't you and your friend come in Elena, have you eaten?" Jenna asked, ushering them inside to the kitchen.

"No, we haven't." Elena replied, Damon glanced at her, she couldn't quite read his expression. He looked confused, then she realized it.

"Um Aunt Jenna, this is Damon, he's Stefan's brother. Damon this is my Aunt Jenna." Elena introduced them, though she wondered why Aunt Jenna didn't remember him from the other night. Elena knew that it was Damon that pulled her out of the car and brought her home. She would have to ask him later if he had compelled Aunt Jenna.

"It's nice to meet you Damon, would you guys like pizza?" Jenna asked reaching for the phone book.

"That would be lovely Miss Jenna," Damon answered smiling. Behind them Jeremy was coming down the stairs.

"Elena, your home." Jeremy said, looking to Damon, "Who the hell are you?" he asked rudely.

"Jeremy!" Elena exclaimed.

"It's okay Elena, I am Damon a friend of your sisters. Its nice to meet you." Damon said offering Jeremy his hand.

Jeremy scoffed "Whatever. What is for supper?" He snapped looking at Jenna.

"Jeremy Gilbert!" Jenna said sternly.

"Okay, fuck you guys. I am going out." Jeremy said grabbing his shoes and storming out of the house, slamming the door behind him.

"Jeremy! Get back here!" Jenna yelled at him as he left, throwing her hands in the air. "What am I going to do with him." She sighed, going over to the phone to order dinner.

" I am really sorry about him." Elena looked to Damon, as Jenna ordered food.

"Elena I am just going to go and put the top up on my car, I will be right back." Damon said as he went outside.

Outside, Damon sped to find Jeremy, who hadn't gotten very far. "Hey! Wait up!" he yelled at the adolescent boy.

"What do you want!?" Jeremy snapped back.

"I just wanted to talk," Damon replied gently, he really wanted to pin the boy to the wall and knock some sense into him.

"I don't want to talk to you, how old are you anyway, I don't think my sister should be hanging around you. You look like trouble." Jeremy said tightening his fist.

"I am not going to hurt your sister Jeremy. I care a lot about her, and she cares a lot about you. What is going on with you? Elena told me you are doing drugs?" Damon asked calmly.

"You don't know anything about me! Leave me alone!" Jeremy yelled walking away.

"No!" Damon said grabbing Jeremy and pulling him close. He grabbed the boy by the shoulders and stared deep into his eyes; _"you will go to the store and pick up a boquet of flowers. Then you will come back and apologize to your Aunt. You will stop hanging out with Vikki Donavan and you will get your grades up. You will stop doing drugs and not drink anymore. You will forget talking to me. Now go!"_ Damon let go of Jeremy.

"Ive got to go and get my Aunt some flowers, I was really rude to her." Jeremy said in a tranze walking away.

Damon went to his car to put the top down, noticing Elena's phone on the front seat. It was ringing. Stefan.

"Elena's phone, Damon speaking," Damon grinned.

"Damon, where the hell are you, where is Elena, why hasn't she been answering!?" Stefan yelled.

"Don't get all upset Stef, Elena is home we just got back. She is safe for now." Damon replied, a hint of worry in his voice.

"What do you mean for now?" Stefan replied angerly.

"Well, what I mean is that Kathrine is in Mystic Falls Stefan, and there is some stuff we need to talk to you about. There is a curse, that if broken will kill Elena." Damon explained to his brother, the more people they had on their side the better. Plus if he shows Stefan that he cares about Elena, maybe Stefan won't go on a ripper binge.

"What are you even talking about Damon? You sound crazy, just put Elena on the phone," Stefan sighed.

"I'll get her to call you back, we are having dinner." Damon said hanging up the phone, ignoring his brothers pleas.

Back inside, Elena and Jenna were getting ready for supper.

"Okay, so what is up with you guys?" Jenna asked her eyes shining.

"Uh, nothing." Elena said getting plates from the cupboard to set the table.

"Nothing? Elena you were all over eachother less than 5 minutes ago." Jenna commented about the kiss.

"I, uh I don't know." Elena blushed.

"Awe, sweetie you like him a lot don't you." Jenna giggled.

"I mean yeah I guess I do, we kind of bonded over the last few days, with everything going on with his Uncle Zach." Elena said, slightly stretching the truth.

"Oh, sweetie, that is wonderful! It is so good to see you happy for once. But I have to ask how old his he? He looks older Elena…" Jenna asked concerned for her niece.

Elena felt a lump in her throat, she hadn't thought about it, Damon was in vampire years over 150; but in people years he was 25, which was still over 6 years older than her. Elena gulped, "If I tell you please don't be mad." Elena begged her Aunt.

"Okay, I won't get mad Elena," Jenna said softly.

"He's 25." Elena cringed.

"25…" Jenna said her mouth hanging open.

"That's bad isnt' it?" Elena sighed.

"No, um, I mean yes." Jenna said fiddling with her earrings. "Maybe you should think this through 'Lena. I mean his brother is cute?" Jenna said trying to push Elena towards Stefan again.

"Aunt Jenna! I don't like Stefan, he is a liar!" Elena yelled, just as Damon came back into the room.

"Sorry, I was gone so long. I found your phone in the car." Damon said setting Elena's phone in her hand.

"Thank you," Elena said blushing. "I am going up stairs to freshen up, will you be okay for a few minutes?" Elena asked Damon.

"Yeah of course take your time kitten," Damon winked, Aunt Jenna looked at the two of them curiously. When Elena had gone upstairs Jenna spoke, "Damon, I have to ask you a question?" Jenna said pulling a bottle of wine from the fridge a pouring a glass. This conversation was about to get heavy and Jenna desperately needed some liquid courage.

"Um, okay what is wrong?" Damon asked honestly.

"What is your plan for my niece? Are you going to use her because if that is the case you should really leave now." Jenna said sternly.

Damon was shocked, 'how could she think I would ever hurt Elena?' Damon thought his eyes getting wide. "I am sorry if you got that impression Miss Jenna, I would never hurt Elena. I care a lot about her. I realize there is an age gap, and I completely understand if you would prefer I do not take any advances until her 18th birthday, I only ask to be allowed to court your niece." Damon replied, realising he sounded extremely old fashion.

Jenna gulped choking slightly on her wine, "Court her? Are you sure your only 25 haha" Jenna burst out laughing, "You seem pretty harmless Damon, I am sorry for insulting you, I just worry about Elena, she has been through so much lately. I trust her, I will allow you to date. But don't make me regret it okay?" Jenna said patting him on the shoulder.

" I give you my word Miss Jenna," Damon replied making direct eye contact.

"Please, its just Jenna." Jenna smiled just as the door bell rang. "Pizza's here." Jenna said heading to the door.

Damon smiled as Elena came down the stairs, she had changed, she was wearing a simple red t-shirt and some jeans. The material of the shirt hugging her slim frame, highlighting all of her curves. She sat down at the table beside him grabbing a piece of pizza and setting it on her plate.

Just as they were about to dig in, the door opened. It was Jeremy with the most beautiful boquet of flowers, "Hey Aunt Jenna, these are for you. I am really sorry for earlier." Jeremy said setting the flowers on the table, and pulling his Aunt into a hug. Jenna was shocked. "Um, thank you Jer, I forgive you." Jenna said going to the cupboard to find a vase. "Grab a slice of pizza Jeremy." Jenna smiled.

"Thank you Aunt Jenna, Elena I am sorry about earlier." Jeremy apologized to his sister, grabbing a piece of pizza from the box, he sat down. Elena was in shock, her brother never apologized. Damon just smiled to himself.

After supper Damon told Elena he was going to head home, "I've got to go and talk with my brother, there is some things we have to set straight." Damon said to Elena pulling her in to a hug. Jenna sighed, 'they are so cute,' she thought as she slipped upstairs to give them some privacy.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Elena asked concerned that Damon would end up in the basement again.

"No, its okay. Stefan won't put me in the basement again haha. I let him get the best of me last time. I was really hurt." Damon grimaced remembering how he let Stefan stake him, Vervain him and lock him up.

"Okay well, could you call me?" Elena said touching his cheek.

"I'll get Saint Stef to shoot you a text k. I sort of broke my phone." Damon laughed nervously.

"Okay, please be careful." Elena said leaning in to kiss him on the cheek, he swiftly caught her in his arms pulling her in to a deep kiss. When they pulled apart Elena spoke, "Wow, um you should get going don't want Stefan to get any madder at you." Elena said as they reached the door. "We will talk tomorrow to get an idea what to do about Kathrine. I am going to call Bonnie tonight." Elena said.

"Okay, that sounds like a good plan, how about I pick you up and drop you off at school?" Damon inquired.

"I'd like that." Elena smiled.

"Okay, it's a date then." Damon winked.

As he left Elena's house Damon felt like he was going to burst. He had a feeling of completeness inside him. A feeling he had never felt before. Nobody ever chose him, it was always Stefan. Even though he was the oldest of the two, Damon was always ostrisized. Father had idolized Stefan, while he had always saw Damon as a nuisance. Damon had tried to please his father, he even inlisted in the Civil War, but even that did not please his father. The war was terrible, so much bloodshed and pain, it wasn't for Damon. He had tried so hard but in the end, he came home, the thought of killing innocent people had been too much for him to bare. If only his father could see him now he thought to himself, would he be proud of the killer he was. No, he would just see Damon as a monster, while Stefan would be a great saviour. It is always Stefan, Damon gritted his teeth.

When he got home he headed to his room to shower, it had been a long two days. He slipped out of his dirty clothes putting them in the hamper beside his en-suite bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror. 'God, I look tired.' He thought to himself, grabbing a wine glass from his bathroom counter and pouring him self a glass of wine. The luxuries of being a vampire, having lots of money, Damon smirked as he set out a fresh towel. His bathroom was very large, a claw foot tub sat across from a double sink, a standing shower beside the vanity. He set the wine glass down and got into the shower. His thoughts drifting to Elena, he felt himself getting hard. 'god what she does to me,' he thought, his mind getting fuzzy. He stroked himself imagining her small hands, he had never felt the way he did about her before. Everything seemed brighter when she was around, food tasted better when she was there, he felt human when she was near. 'Human,' he thought, he longed so much to be human, it hurt every molecule in his body. He had never wanted to be a vampire, he hadn't wanted to spend every waking hour alone. But now having Elena in his life, he didn't feel alone anymore.

He quickened his pace, feeling a familiar pressure building, he groaned leaning against the shower. He imagined what it would be like to be inside her, envisioning her small frame below him, her moans, 'oh her moans' he thought, remembering the time at the motel. He exploded, little flashes of light dancing in his eyes. He sank to the floor of the shower panting, 'god what she does to me.' He thought as he got up and finished washing. After the shower he got dressed, wearing a fresh black t-shirt and a new pair of jeans. He left his bedroom and went on the hunt to find Stefan.

Stefan was sitting in the living room, admiring the fire while sipping on a glass of bourbon. He turned around as Damon walked in the room.

"We need to talk," Damon said grabbing a glass from the bar and filling it half full.

"Yes, I do believe we do." Stefan replied watching his brother sit down beside him. "What are you doing here Damon? It has been 15 years can't you just leave this vendetta behind us and move on?" Stefan asked his eyes going back to the fire.

Damon sighed, "Stefan, I want us to start over." Stefan turned to look at his brother, there was something about him, something different.

"What do you mean?" Stefan asked harshly.

"I mean that I am done with these games," Damon said bringing his glass to his lips.

Stefan watched his brother intently noticing how much older he looked tonight, how tired he looked. Stefan exhaled, "I don't know what to say Damon, I want to believe you can change, that you are being real. But I just don't know if I can after all that has happened." Stefan said shifting in his seat.

"I know, I know. I should have never left you. When you lost control, I should have been there. I am sorry. I didn't want to help you then, but I do now. Every time you fall off the edge I'll be there to pull you back up, every second every day until you don't need me. You got it?" Damon said seriously.

Stefan was flabbergasted, 'who was this man?' Stefan thought. "Why? Why now Damon?" Stefan asked chugging his drink.

"Because you're my little brother, and right now I need you. I…" Damon stammered, he felt a tingling in his eyes, it had been so long since he felt this way.

"You what Damon?" Stefan asked as he got up to get another drink.

"I forgive you," Damon pushed out. "I forgive you for turning me into a vampire."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Damon's words rang in the air; _I forgive you…_ Stefan felt his eyes growing large. 'Who is this man?' he asked himself again, where was the brother that just days ago threaten to kill him; that just days ago ripped out Zach's throat and almost killed Vikki Donavan? So much didn't make sense, Stefan dropped his glass to the floor. Pieces of glass scattering everywhere.

Stefan took a deep breath, "Damon, I." Stefan didn't know what to say, he gulped in unnecessary air.

"I know Stef, I know you don't trust me right now. I haven't done anything to earn your trust in a very long time. Just know that I want to change. I want to be better, I... I love you little brother." Damon choked out, tears threatening to leave his eyes.

Stefan stood looking down at his brother, for years they had fought, for years Damon had tortured Stefan. Yet looking at him now he saw someone he hadn't in a very long time, he saw the older brother he had looked up to. Stefan felt his own eyes getting damp, hot tears threatening to leave them. How had things gotten so bad, after all the things they had been through, they were supposed to be best friends, the mighty Salvatore brothers. Stefan walked over to Damon, his brother looked so broken. It had been years since they had been this intimate, their relationship now was primarily based on violence. Stefan reached down to his brother he put a firm hand on Damon's shoulder squeezing it reassuringly. Damon just looked up at his brother, the tears he was holding back now freely flowing down his cheeks.

"How did we let it get like this Dam?" Stefan asked softly, sitting beside his brother on the couch. "We used to be best friends, how did we let a girl get between that." Stefan sighed, leaning himself against his brother. Damon just whimpered, he was never this emotional, yet tonight something inside him broke. "Hey, shhh, its okay we can get through this." Stefan said pulling his brother into a hug, it felt like home. After all these years, they just sat there holding each other, just like the night their mother died.

They pulled apart and sat together in the soft crackling of the fire; things were going to be different now, because for once in a very long time, they had each other.

Down the road at Elena's house Bonnie was on the phone.

"Hey Bon, I am so sorry I haven't called you!" Elena said as she was getting ready for bed.

"It's all good El, I was just so worried about you." Bonnie sighed into the phone.

"I have so much to tell you Bon," Elena said thinking about her weekend in Georgia.

"What is up?" Bonnie inquired.

"Where do I start Bon, so for the past two days I have been with Damon." Elena began

"WOAH slow down, like vision Damon? Soulmate Damon? Vampire Damon?" Bonnie asked giddily.

"Yes, that Damon." Elena replied, cringing at the word vampire.

"Oh, wow, where were you?" Bonnie asked concerned.

Elena explained everything to Bonnie about Bree, the motel, Stefan, and Kathrine.

"Oh my god Elena, Kathrine is here, in Mystic falls?" Bonnies voice cracked.

"Yes, I am worried Bonnie, I am afraid that she is going to hurt me." Elena grimaced.

"Well, I can ask Gram's if there is anything we can do." Bonnie assured her friend.

As Elena set the phone down she had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. She felt as if someone or something was watching her. She went to the bathroom her and Jeremy shared and got a glass of water. Looking at her self in the mirror, all she saw in her reflection was Kathrine. Elena felt anger rising with in herself, why did she have to look like her. She felt tears coming to her eyes, 'No I won't cry, all I ever do is cry.' Elena yelled to herself. Frustrated she punched out, smashing the mirror in the process. Jeremy rushed in to the bathroom.

"Elena! What happened, Jesus are you okay?" Jeremy said rushing to his sister's aid.

Elena's wrist was bleeding bad, she panicked, "I didn't mean to do that, I don't know what go over me…" Elena stammered grabbing a towel and trying to get her hand to stop bleeding.

Jenna ran down the hall way hearing the commotion.

"Elena, what happened, oh my god your bleeding!" Jenna hurried to her niece.

"I am fine really Aunt Jenna…." Elena said, suddenly feeling very lightheaded. She could hear Jeremy calling her name and Jenna screaming, as all of a sudden, her world went black.

 **I want to thank all the people who have been reviewing my story. I will try and update soon, Thank you again for your continued support! CLM 18**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

As Elena woke up she noticed her throat was very dry; it was quiet were she was, however, there was a distant beeping. She opened her eyes, realizing she was laying in a hospital bed. Her hand was wrapped tightly with gauze. The other hand had an iv in it. She looked around noticing Aunt Jenna sitting in a chair; her head slumped to the side, her mouth was wide open, and she was snoring. 'typical,' Elena thought to herself.

Jeremy walked in the room holding a tray with coffee on it "Elena, finally your awake! God, we were so worried about you." He said setting the tray down, Jenna's eyes snapped open, she made a funny noise, wiping her hand across her mouth.

"Elena, thank goodness your okay! What the heck were you thinking?" Jenna asked terrified, in the back of her mind she feared the worse, she thought that her niece had tried to end her own life.

Elena reached for a water jug on the table beside her. Taking a sip and clearing her throat. "I am sorry I didn't mean to break the mirror, I was just really mad last night, and I sort of punched out. I never meant to hurt myself." Elena explained, she sighed, 'even if Kathrine hasn't hurt me, just thinking about her hurts me.' Elena noted, realizing that Kathrine had an emotional hold on her.

Dr. Fell walked in with some papers, "Good morning Elena," she said in a calm, sweet voice. "How are you feeling?"

"I am all right Dr. Fell, my hand hurts a bit," Elena said to the doctor.

"Right, well it seems like you are okay to discharge, but first I have to ask you a few questions to be on the safe side okay?" Dr. Fell explained.

"Sure," Elena answered, she really wanted to get home, she hadn't heard from Damon since yesterday and she was worried that he had ended up in the basement again, or worse.

"Elena, I really need to ask you if you meant to hurt your self last night?" Dr. Fell asked professionally.

"No, defiantly not, I realize you all think I am struggling with everything, but I would never try and kill myself. I just got mad that's all, I didn't mean to punch the mirror." Elena replied shocked.

"Okay, well do you think you would like to talk to someone about this anger?" Dr. Fell asked politely.

"Um, no that's okay it was just a one-off thing, I am fine." Elena answered avoiding eye contact with Aunt Jenna, and Jeremy; who sat at the end of the room staring at her with concern. How would she explain to anyone why she was mad, it is not like she could just go to a therapist for this? Nobody would believe her, an evil vampire who happens to be her doppelganger, may or may not want to hurt her. There is another evil vampire who wants to kill her for the sake of a curse, oh and her boyfriend/soulmate is also a vampire. The key word in crazy being vampire. Elena cringed at the thought.

"Okay, then Elena I'll draw up your discharge papers, you take care now." Dr. Fell said slipping out of the room.

"Aunt Jenna, Jeremy I am really sorry for scaring you." Elena said taking another sip of water.

Jenna and Jeremy came over and gave her a hug. Jeremy smiled to his sister passing her something. "Here, I thought you might want this," Jeremy said giving Elena her cell phone.

"Thanks, Jer." Elena replied, looking though the phone, 12 missed calls Stefan.

Text Stefan; _Babe its me Damon, Stef let me use his phone, we talked. Everything is good, better than good its great. D_

 _El, babe is everything okay? Why aren't you answering me? D._

 _Elena! Are you asleep? D._

 _Elena open your window. D_

 _Elena? D._

Elena sighed clicking dial on the phone, Jenna and Jeremy left the room to give her some privacy.

"Ring", "Ring"

Over at the boarding house Damon was pacing back and forth. "Damon, please stop doing that your making me feel sick." Zach said stirring his coffee.

"I am sorry, its just something is wrong…" Damon said grasping his hair.

"Damon, "Yawn" you need to calm down, I bet Elena is just sleeping, you said yourself you were exhausted. And you're a vampire, just think how a human would feel." Stefan said going to the fridge, grabbing a bottle of blood. "Hey, to think of it, aren't you hungry? When was the last time you fed?" Stefan asked noticing how grey his brother was looking.

"I, it was the day before yesterday." Damon gulped, recognizing a familiar burning in his throat.

"You need to eat, here you can have some of mine, I know its not what you like but it will help." Stefan said offering his brother the bottle.

Damon gulped, turning his nose in disgust, "Nah Stef I'll just go to the hospital and pinch a blood bag or two." Damon explained getting his coat.

"A blood bag?" Stefan was confused, never had he ever heard of his brother not drinking something "straight from the source".

"Yeah, I promised 'Lena that I wouldn't feed from people anymore." Damon said putting his arm in the sleeve of his leather jacket.

"You, and Elena have gotten close, haven't you?" Stefan questioned.

Damon gulped, he didn't want to send his brother off the edge, he knew how much Stefan liked Elena. "I…" words caught in his throat.

"Damon, I am not mad at you, Elena doesn't like me in that way. I realize that. I lied to her, she can't trust me. While I am not happy about it, I am not, not happy for you. You're my brother, we let a girl get between us before, I don't plan on having that happen again." Stefan said sincerely taking a swig of the blood.

Damon's eyes glistened, 'what the fuck is with all the tears lately, all I am ever doing is crying,' he thought to himself. Nodding his head at Stefan he slipped out, heading to the hospital.

Stefan just smiled feeling his phone vibrating in his pocket. Elena.

"Hey, Elena." Stefan answered cheerfully

"Hi, Stefan, um is Damon there?" Elena asked.

"No, you just missed him," Stefan replied.

"Oh, well um could you tell him I am sorry I didn't answer, I sort of ended up in the hospital last night." Elena told Stefan.

"Oh god, are you okay? What happened, did Kathrine attack you? Damon told me all about what is going on?" Stefan asked multiple questions.

"No, it wasn't Kathrine, well not her directly. I was in my bathroom and I got mad at myself because I hate looking like her Stef. I just punched out, not really thinking and broke my mirror." Elena explained embarrassed.

"Oh, I see but your okay?" Stefan asked concerned.

"Yeah, I am, the Dr. is just writing the paper work now." Elena said.

"Oh, that's good, well I'll let you go, I'll tell Damon when he gets home." Stefan said saying good bye to Elena.

Elena sighed to herself, 'Stefan seemed happier today.'

Damon got to the hospital in record time, he went to the front desk about to compel the clerk to get blood, when he noticed Jeremy and Jenna in the waiting room.

"Hey, what are you guys doing here?" Damon asked suspiciously.

"Oh Damon, did Elena get a hold of you?" Jenna asked him, Damon shook his head concerned.

"No, I was trying to call her all night, is she okay?" Damon felt a shiver in his spine.

"Yeah, she's okay, she got mad last night after you left, she broke a mirror in the bathroom and really hurt her hand. Almost bled to death." Jeremy explained. Damon felt the world around him shrinking, 'I should have stayed, my god what if she would have died.' "Yo! Man are you okay?" Jeremy asked concerned, noticing Damon going even more pale.

Damon shook his head "Uh, yeah I am fine, where is she?" he asked both Jenna and Jeremy.

"She is just this way, the Dr. is just writing her release forms," Jenna smiled leading Damon down the corridor. All the smells of death lingered in the air, he hated hospitals. They walked past the ER doors, Damon got a whiff of blood, he felt his eyes darkening, resisting the urge, he gritted his teeth. When they got to the room Elena was just getting her IV out of her hand, while Dr. Fell was explaining how to look after her cut.

"Damon! What are you doing here? I just got off the phone with Stefan, he said you just left." Elena said happy to see him.

"Yeah, well um I saw Jenna's car here and was worried." Damon lied.

"Well I am really glad you are here," Elena said, Dr. Fell had her sign some papers and slipped out of the room. Elena got up from the bed, going over to Damon and hugging him. Damon felt his throat itching. The smell of her blood seeping in the bandage was getting to him. "Elena, please, I need to get out of here, the blood…" he whispered in her hair.

Elena gasped. She didn't realize he hadn't fed, she kissed his cheek. Thankfully Jenna and Jeremy were facing her because Damon couldn't help his eyes, they were dark red, small veins appearing under them.

"Um, we will be right out okay Aunt Jenna," Elena explained, Jenna realized they wanted to be alone, "Oh of course Elena take your time…" she sighed to her niece.

"Elena," Damon moaned as she pushed herself against him. "What are you doing?" he gasped.

She pulled her hair back from her neck, "Please, you need to feed Damon, you will hurt someone if you go out there." She said pointing to the hall.

"No! I will not feed from you Elena, are you crazy. You almost died last night from blood loss." Damon said forcing his fangs away.

"Please Damon, I don't want you to hurt anyone." Elena pleaded.

"No! I will be fine, I will just sneak to the O.R and get some blood bags okay, don't worry about me." Damon said pushing his lips to her forehead, and vamp speeding away.


	18. Chapter 18

**I apologize for being gone for a few days, I have had a lot of assignments due in school. I will be back at writing this weekend! Please, Please Review! Thank you again for all your support. I am thinking about starting another story soon as well. Gods Speed. CLF18**

Chapter 18

Elena sighed as Damon left the room, she left after him and went to the waiting room. Jenna and Jeremy were there waiting for her.

"Hey sis, where did Damon go?" Jeremy asked curiously.

"Oh, he had to get back home he had important stuff to do with Stefan." Elena lied.

"Oh, okay cool. How about we take you home sis, you've had a rough night." Jeremy said lovingly, leading her out the hospital doors.

Damon watched from the corridor as they left, 'how could she offer herself to me like that?' he thought to himself, realizing at that moment how important she was to him. He smiled to himself as he smuggled 5 blood bags into his shirt and headed back home.

When Elena got home she phoned Bonnie,

-Ring -Ring-

"Hello?" Bonnie answered

"Bonnie! Hey." Elena said her voice cracking, as she heard her friend answer the phone.

"Elena, are you okay?" Bonnie inquired.

"No, Bon I am not, its Kathrine, she's getting in my head. I can't stop thinking about what she did to Damon," Elena said forcing back tears.

"Oh, El. You're not like Kathrine, you aren't using Damon," Bonnie said reassuringly.

"Bon, I hurt myself last night, I got so mad looking at my own reflection, that I lashed out I broke my mirror and almost bled to death." Elena struggled to speak.

"Oh my god Elena, are you okay? We will figure this out El, all of this. Grams is looking into how to reverse the curse without your blood. It will all be okay El." Bonnie tried hard to reassure her friend.

"Thanks, Bon." Elena said with a slight smile, tears still threatening to fall.

"I've got to go 'Lena, but we will talk at school tomorrow okay?" Bonnie said positively.

"Okay Bon, see you tomorrow." Elena said hanging up the call. Grasping her phone and laying down on her bed. Buzz, Buzz, her phone rang.

"Caroline hi," Elena answered nervously.

"Elena Marie GILBERT! Where are you! you have missed classes and cheer!" Caroline screamed through the phone, Elena pulled her phone about 2 feet from her face.

"WOAH, Care, I am sorry there's been so much going on, I um I met someone, and um well I was a bit distracted this weekend, and yesterday I spent time in the hospital." Elena explained, biting her nails.

"What? You were in the hospital, oh my god Elena you're not pregnant, are you?" Caroline asked shocked.

"Oh my god Care! No! I banged my hand up pretty good and hit a vein," Elena explained, flabbergasted her friend would think she was pregnant.

"Oh, jeez El, you need to be careful, I take it that you won't be able to cheer for a while?" Caroline sighed, frustrated with her friend.

"No, Care I won't be able to cheer," Elena groaned, she knew how much the team meant to Caroline.

"Anyway, you've been gone all weekend, you said you met someone? SPILL!" Caroline said giddy.

"Okay, okay. Well you know Stefan, right?" Elena smiled, it was nice to just talk about boys to her friend, get away from all the darkness.

"Oh my God! EEK you guys are so perfect together!" Caroline squealed.

"NO! Care, not Stefan, his brother." Elena replied quickly.

"Stefan has a brother?" Caroline asked confused.

"Yeah, they don't really get along. His name is Damon, he is so hot care, and funny," Elena almost moaned thinking about him, 'he is so kind, and caring but I dare not tell Caroline that, if Damon ever found out I said that he would be so mad, ha-ha him and his bad boy ego.' Elena smiled to herself.

"This is so exciting, Elena! But how come we haven't met him, I mean he's not in school," Caroline questioned.

"Well, um he's not exactly in school any more." Elena replied twiddling her hair.

"Oh, he is a bad boy?" Caroline mused.

"Hmm, you could say that but that's not why he's not in school. He's um older than us." Elena replied.

"Older? Oh my god, I never would have imagined sweet innocent Elena with an older guy!" Caroline laughed.

"Care!" Elena chuckled, smiling into the phone.

"Well, El, you have to tell me all about him tomorrow you got it?!" Caroline demanded, saying good bye, and hanging up.

Elena sighed, school, it would be good to get back into routine. It was then she heard tapping at her window, tap, tap, tap.

She looked down into the dark, she saw a figure standing throwing pebbles at her window.

She opened it, "Hello?"

"El, its me, can I come up?" Damon called from the ground,

"Okay, just let me sneak and open the door," she said, but before she made it out of her room Damon was already there.

"Woah, how did you get up here?" Elena almost screamed.

"One of the many perks of vampirism," Damon chuckled.

"What are you doing here?" Elena questioned.

"I should have never left you alone yesterday, if you want me to leave I will but I want to stay and watch over you." Damon said sincerely.

"I... uh, you can stay, I feel safe when your near." Elena admitted.

"Good, well you go get ready for bed, I'll um just sit here and watch over you." Damon said fluffing a pillow on the window seat and sitting down.

"You don't have to sit in the window, Damon, you can lay with me, just no funny stuff okay." Elena said grabbing her PJ's and going to the bathroom.

Damon smiled slipping his shoes off and laying on her bed. Pulling the little teddy bear on her bed to his chest and laughing to himself.

In the bathroom Elena began to get undressed, she sighed looking to the wall that the mirror used to be, Jeremy and Jenna had cleaned up all the glass, but they had not replaced the mirror yet. Elena felt a shiver down her spine thinking about the night before, she took a fresh gauze from the bag Dr. Fell gave her. She cleaned the wound and redressed it. 'how could I have been so careless, vampires surround me, and I go and get myself cut up.' Elena sighed as she pulled her PJ pants and shirt on.

She entered her bedroom and chuckled to herself, Damon had fallen asleep, still holding the teddy bear. 'he looks so cute,' Elena smiled.

She slid into bed beside him, brushing a small curl from his forehead, "Hey, wake up," she said softly.

"Mhmm, five more minutes." Damon moaned.

"Damon! You can't sleep like that, it is so uncomfortable you're not even under the covers!" Elena squealed.

Damon's eyes shot open, he threw the bear, obviously embarrassed. "Okay, okay you win." Damon said going to get under the covers.

"Um, you don't sleep in jeans…" Elena pointed out again. Damon gulped, no not normally he didn't, but he didn't know how much he could control himself around her anymore.

"Yeah um I am cold…" Damon lied.

"Well, there are many things we could do to fix that…" Elena joked, she gasped to herself 'when did I get so dirty minded.' Damon looked at her his eyes wide, he reached down and gave her a light kiss. Elena moaned, pulling him closer deepening the kiss. "Elena, you have to stop, I don't think I can…" Damon stammered out, feeling himself getting uncomfortably hard.

Elena gasped feeling his discomfort graze her midsection, "I am sorry, I don't know what got over me." Elena said embarrassed. "Its okay, its just I don't want to do anything you might regret, after all we haven't known each other for long." Damon sighed, breathing in unnecessary air. Normally he would have taken this girl and pinned her to the bed, ravished her until she couldn't walk, talk, or think. But there was something different about Elena, something pure, he could feel again around her. She was everything to him, he wanted to take things slow with her, he wanted to cherish her.

"I realize that, but for some reason to me it feels like I have always known you." Elena smiled, laying her head on Damon's chest. Damon pushed a small kiss into her hair. "Mhmm, I know what you mean 'Lena, come now let's get to sleep." He said gently stroking her arm.

Elena reached over and turned off the light, she felt safe tonight.

Outside a figure stood looking up at the window scowling. "You will never be free of me Salvatore, I am coming for you, you and your precious Elena," the figure said into the night.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

When Elena woke up she was alone, there was a small piece of paper on the pillow beside her. A hand-written letter, in the most pristine calligraphy she had ever seen.

 _My dearest Elena,_

 _I apologize of my absence. I did not believe it was appropriate for Miss Jenna to find us this way. I will be by at 8:00 to drive you to school._

 _Regards – Damon_

Elena smiled at the note 'he is so old fashion when he wants to be.' She thought as she held the note close to her heart.

She glanced at the clock 6:45, 'perfect I've got lots of time to get ready,' she smiled as she went to the bathroom to get ready; she showered, brushed her teeth, straightened her hair and went to her room.

She looked in her closet and found a black shirt that hugged her body, 'his favorite colour seems to be black,' she thought to herself trying to coordinate her outfit to Damon's preferences.

When she got down stairs Jenna was just pouring herself coffee. She appeared to be in her own little world. Her aunt was not a morning person, Jenna was dressed in a house coat, her hair was all over the place. Elena went to the fridge to get some orange juice and an apple.

"Elena! My god you scared me!" Jenna jumped, slightly spilling her coffee.

"I am so sorry Aunt Jenna," Elena said grabbing a towel and mopping up the coffee mess.

"Oh, thank you Elena, its okay I was caught up in my own thoughts. Hey, do you have time to sign those papers right now?" Jenna said reaching in a drawer getting the insurance papers.

"Yup. 'crunch' I just 'crunch' have to hurry up 'chew'" Elena said in between bites of her apple.

She grabbed a pen from a little cup and signed her name on the dotted line of the insurance forms.

"Do you need me to drive you this morning? Until we can go and pick you out a new car?" Jenna asked with a yawn.

"Oh, no its okay Aunt Jenna, Damon is picking me up." Elena explained as she heard the doorbell ring. "Sounds like he's here already," Elena said looking at the clock on the wall, 7:55. 'hmm five minutes early, that's punctual.' Elena thought grabbing her back pack and kissing her aunt goodbye.

"Coming!" she yelled as she reached the door.

"Hey," Elena said as she answered the door, Damon stood there holding a small single red rose. "Oh, what is this for?" she asked amused.

"Well, its for you of course dear Elena," Damon breaking the rose close to the top and placing it in her hair beside her right ear.

"Oh, its beautiful Damon," Elena smiled, reaching up to touch the little flower in her hair.

"Come, lets go, we don't want you to be late, for your first day back in a while. Here, these are the papers you missed." Damon said handing Elena a stack of notes.

"Where did you get these?" Elena asked as they walked down the driveway to his car.

"Stef, I asked him to get them for you yesterday. I figured you would want to get caught back up." Damon smiled.

"Oh, thank you, you and Stefan didn't have to do that." Elena remarked, 'I am surprised Stefan would help him.' She thought to herself, realizing she really hadn't talked to Stefan much since meeting Damon.

"Stefan is sorry Elena, he never meant to lie to you. He believed it was for the best you didn't know about vampires, or about me." Damon commented as they drove to the school. His voice soft and sad at the end of the sentence, 'I wish I could protect her from what is to come, I don't know what this Klaus guy will do, or if Kathrine will get involved.' Damon thought to himself.

"I know, I just feel really upset about everything. I thought that Stefan and I were close. I feel like he should have been able to trust me with the secret." Elena said sadly, realizing that knowing is putting her in danger, however not knowing could have been even worse.

"Well, we are here." Damon said as they pulled up to the school. Bonnie and Caroline were stood waiting for their friend. Elena saw her friends, "Thank you for the ride Damon," Elena said leaning over the seat to give Damon a kiss on the cheek, Damon smirked as he grabbed her face and pulled her in for a deep kiss. Bonnie and Caroline's eyes bulged as they watched from the sidewalk. "Damon! You can't kiss me like that in public." Elena said her cheeks going a deep shade of red. "Mhmm, sorry Elena, I just couldn't help myself. You have a good day now." He smiled as she jumped out of the car. He watched her run to her friends, he took out his new phone and texted Stefan, _I got her to school, keep your eye out for anyone suspicious. I am going to meet the Sheriff today, I think its time we start putting Vervain in the water again. Don't you?_ he put is phone away and drove off heading to meet Sheriff Forbes.

Elena ran to Bonnie and Caroline who were picking there jaws up from the floor.

"Elena Gilbert! What and who was that?" Caroline asked her friend as they walked to the school.

"Well, um that is Damon and that was a very unexpected kiss." Elena replied fiddling with the flower in her hair.

"Elena, were did you get that little flower?" Bonnie asked admiring the rose.

"Oh, Damon brought it me this morning, and I have a secret." Elena smiled, talking about boys again, so normal.

"You had sex?" Caroline asked seriously.

"God no! Care! He did however sleep over last night." Elena's eyes shone.

"Oh my god! And you didn't have sex!" Caroline was flabbergasted.

"Caroline, not everything is about sex." Bonnie butted in.

"Okay, okay. So, he's like what old fashion? I mean he sleeps over at your house and then gives you a flower for your hair? But won't do the dirty with you?" Caroline amused.

"Caroline, seriously, he's just being a gentleman." Elena sighed, everything about Caroline Forbes was physical. Elena glanced behind Caroline, Stefan was standing in the hallway getting his books out of his locker. Elena gulped. "Um, guys I'll be back I need to talk to someone." Elena said pushing past Caroline and Bonnie.

"What is that all about?" Caroline asked Bonnie, watching Elena wander over to Stefan.

"Well, if you ask me Caroline, its none of our business." Bonnie said popping a piece of gum in her mouth and walking away from her shocked friend.

"Hey," Elena said as she reached Stefan's locker.

"Hey," Stefan said back nervously.

"So, um I wanted to apologize." Elena explained.

"No, Elena its okay, you didn't do anything wrong, its my fault. I shouldn't have kept things from you." Stefan replied gently grabbing her hand.

"I really don't want to make things awkward between us Stefan," Elena said pulling her hand back.

"I know, I am sorry, I didn't mean to offend you, I realize you and Damon are seeing each other." Stefan said pushing his hands into his pockets.

"Oh, um I never meant to hurt your feelings Stefan, did Damon tell you about us?" Elena inquired.

"Yeah, he did, and even if he didn't I can smell him all over you." Stefan said slightly embarrassed.

"Oh, gosh, I um did not know you could… Stefan we haven't slept together I hope that's not what you are thinking!" Elena said suddenly extremely self conscious about herself.

"Oh, ha-ha don't worry Elena, that was the last thing I thought of. Just please be careful with my brother. He doesn't exactly have the cleanest track record, and Damon can be hard to trust." Stefan warned.

"Stefan, please. I realize that Damon has done some shitty things to you in the past. But I really think he wants to change. I don't believe that he wants to change because of me either. If he is going to change its not because he cares for me, I think that it will be because he cares for you." Elena stated as she left Stefan's locker and headed to history class.

Instead of Mr. Tanner sitting in the teachers chair there was another teacher. He had dark hair, blue eyes and appeared a lot younger than Mr. Tanner.

"Good morning class, I am Mr. Alaric Saltzman, I will be taking over for Mr. Tanner as your history instructor. Mr. Tanner had to take a leave of absence for family reasons." Alaric responded, as he asked the class to turn to page 245 of their textbooks.

Stefan watched as Elena got out her textbook, it was hard for her to reach in her bag with her hand still wrapped. Stefan could smell the blood seeping in her bandage, it was mesmerizing to him. He shook his head as Alaric asked questions to the class. 'this day is going to be hard,' Stefan thought to himself, looking down at his cell phone, finally reading Damon's earlier text. He quickly replied, _yes that sounds like a good plan, hey I may have upset your girlfriend. Sorry. Also, I am coming home, Elena's cut is driving me crazy, I can't be around her until her hand is healed. You will have to figure something out._

Stefan quickly ran out of the classroom as history finished. He looked at one of the boards in the hallway, FOOTBALL tryouts. 'hmm I've always been good at that, maybe it will keep my mind off of Elena.' He thought to himself taking one of the little tabs off the poster. He turned around Elena was standing beside him, "Hey," she said softly, "I am sorry about earlier, I know you didn't mean any harm," She said in a funny voice, her voice seemed harsher than usual. Stefan found that slightly odd. "How about we start over?" She asked him amused, "Um, sure." He said, Elena lifted her head up and planted a kiss on Stefan's lips, Stefan was shocked but didn't pull away he deepened the kiss. Suddenly it hit him. "Kathrine!" 


	20. Chapter 20

**Thank you all for your continued support, I am hoping to complete another chapter tonight and a few tomorrow. I am starting a new story as well, however I would love if people would send me their ideas/ what they want to see as a story. I know there are lots of stories that need to be told, please tell me one of your desires for a story and I'll try and write something for you. CLM18**

Chapter 20

"Kathrine! What was that? What are you doing here, I thought you were dead." Stefan yelled at the older vampire.

"Calm down pretty boy, I think you already know why I am here." Kathrine said twirling her curly hair in her finger.

"What do you want with Elena? You stay away from her." Stefan exclaimed.

"Now, now. There is no need to get upset, one would think you were seeing her or something? But we both know that's not true now is it? Damon got the girl this time, didn't he?" Kathrine mused, she loved getting Stefan mad.

"Shut up! You don't know anything Kathrine." Stefan said fuming.

"No, Stefan you don't know anything. Klaus is coming for Elena; and I plan on bringing her to him myself, and there is nothing you are going to do to stop me." Kathrine explained pushing Stefan up against the wall, the hallways were beginning to fill with students, Kathrine vamp sped off. Stefan stood there panting. Text message Damon _Stefan you can't just leave her there! Someone could hurt her; I am coming as soon as I can. Please just stay for a little while longer._

Stefan groaned. He phoned his brother -ring-ring-

"Stefan, I told you I would come as soon as I can! Just hold on okay!" Damon answered angerly.

"Sorry but we have a problem," Stefan exhaled.

"What kind of problem, is she okay? What happened?" Damon's voice was full of panic.

"She is fine Damon, its Kathrine, she is here, I thought she was Elena, she um kissed me. She said she is going to kidnap Elena, that she is going to take her to Klaus." Stefan said.

Damon felt his blood boiling, "Okay, I'll be there as soon as possible." Damon hung up the phone 'why the hell would Stefan kiss Kathrine thinking it was Elena!' Damon thought to himself, feeling very possessive. He gripped the steering wheel tight, Kathrine had taken everything from him before, he wasn't about to let her do it again. He sped off to the school.

Elena had watched Stefan rush out of history class, she wondered if she had upset him. She went to follow him and apologize when she stopped suddenly, Stefan was standing beside a bulletin board taking a clipping for football. 'hmm, I kind of figured he was a football guy.' Elena thought to herself, just then a girl walked up to Stefan. When the girl spoke Elena was shocked, the voice sounded identical to hers. The girl turned slightly, Elena could see her features, they mirrored her own perfectly. 'Kathrine' Elena thought to herself. She hid behind a pillar and watched on. She watched as Kathrine spoke, pretending to be her. 'he thinks she is me,' Elena felt her eyes getting wide. Kathrine leant in and kiss Stefan, Stefan didn't pull away, instead he kissed her back. Elena gasped, 'he thinks she's me and he kissed her!' Elena felt bile rushing up her throat, she ran away, she couldn't watch them anymore.

She ran into Bonnie in the hallway, "Ompf, I am so sorry Bon!" Elena said reaching down and picking up the books Bonnie dropped.

"Woah, El, what's wrong you look like you saw a ghost." Bonnie asked concerned.

"Oh, Bonnie! Its Kathrine, she's here, I just saw her pretending to be me in the hallway." Elena almost cried.

"Oh my god Elena this is serious. We need to go see Grams right away, you need to phone Damon," Bonnie said quickly putting her books into her locker.

"Okay, but its not just that, she was talking to Stefan, she kissed him!" Elena was crying now, what if someone told Damon, he would think she was cheating on him.

"Oh El, we will figure that out later, we need to get to Grams, there is something important she needs to do. Come on phone Damon, we need to get out of here quickly." Bonnie said pushing her friend down the hall way.

Elena took her phone out, -ring-ring-

"Stefan, I told you I am on my way!" Damon yelled.

"Um, its Elena." Elena said took back from Damon's angry tone.

"Oh, Elena baby I am sorry," Damon's voice softened.

"Damon, I need you to come to school, Kathrine is here." Elena cried.

"I know sweetheart, I am on my way, Stefan already called me." Damon replied putting his car in park. He saw Elena and Bonnie running out of the school to his car.

"Come on we don't have much time, if she realizes were not here she will follow us." Bonnie said running pushing Elena into Damon's car.

"Woah, what do you think your doing witchy?" Damon asked Bonnie.

"Get in the car, we all need to go see my Grams" Bonnie replied as Damon got into the car.

"Okay, okay calm down Sabrina." Damon replied starting the car, it had been years since he had set foot in a Bennett house, he was not sure that Shelia Bennett would be welcoming.

Bonnie scowled at the nickname, "Elena, calm down okay, Grams figured out away to keep you safe, temporarily anyway." Bonnie said wiping Elena's face with her sleeve. 'I just hope that Damon will be willing to do what is necessary.' Bonnie thought to herself, remembering the ritual her Grams had described to her.

Bonnie explained the directions to Gram's house to Damon, Damon rolled his eyes, 'I wasn't born yesterday, the Bennett's have lived in the same house for decades.' When they pulled up Damon shut the car off and ran over to help Elena out of the car, Elena was shaking, so much had been happening lately, she was so overwhelmed. "Come on El, we need to get inside," Damon encouraged, Elena tried to walk, her legs growing weak with stress, she fainted "Woah there kitten, easy does it." Damon scooped her up carrying her to the Bennett's door.

Bonnie knocked, "Gram's please open up."

Shelia Bennett answered the door, her black hair was wavy, even though she was in her early 70's late 60's she did not look a day over 40. "Come in child, my goodness what happened?" Shelia noted Elena passed out in Damon's arms.

"She fainted. Kathrine is back." Damon stated.

"Hmm, yes I have been suspecting as much. You know you are not usually welcome here vampire, but I know that you have been honorable, you have done everything my ancestor Emily asked of you." Sheila stated recalling an old truce between Damon and the Bennett's, one that involved him looking out for future Bennett generations and keeping them safe. "You may come in Damon Salvatore, for we need you to complete this ritual."

Damon walked over the threshold of the house, he was weary as he placed Elena down on the couch. "Should we wake her?" He asked.

"No, for now let her rest, we need to discuss the ritual." Sheila explained, getting out a very old book.

"Okay, basically we need to preform a protection spell on Elena. I need to ask you; how much are you willing to protect her?" Shelia asked her eyes connected with Damon's.

"I would sacrifice my own life for hers." Damon said, he could barely believe the words that left his mouth, Damon Salvatore was a coward, he only ever thought of himself. Yet just now he admitted he would risk everything to save this one girl. A girl he had only days ago met.

"Good," Shelia replied, digging in the book for a specific spell.

"Why does that matter?" Damon asked intently.

"Because in away you are going to do just that." Shelia explained.

"What!?" Damon almost yelled.

"The ritual that needs to be preformed is a binding spell, I will connect your life to Elena's, if she gets hurt she will heal because of your vampire blood. However, if she dies, well your life will be traded with hers." Shelia explained. "There is however a chance that this spell will not work, it is usually only done on people who do not share a bond. I do not know what will happen if one does this spell on true love." Shelia explain apprehensively.

"True love?" Damon asked with wonder.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"Yes, true love, I am sure Bonnie explained to Elena about the soulmate?" Shelia motioned to Bonnie.

"Yeah, okay I guess, but I guess I didn't actually believe it." Damon mumbled.

"Well, Mister Salvatore you better start believing it because its destiny." Shelia said grabbing a few items from a cupboard. "Now, we must wake Elena, it is almost time to start the spell. This is our only shot at keeping her safe when Klaus comes for her." She said as Damon and Bonnie went and awoke Elena.

Damon's mind was spinning, he had heard the words soulmate thrown around a lot this past few days, but he had not actually let it sink in. For once someone was choosing him, and for the first time in forever he was worried about someone other than himself. He took a deep breath into his dead lungs, fear was not a usual part of Damon's vocabulary, but at this moment it was all he felt.

"'Lena wake up." Bonnie said comforting, as she gently shook her best friend.

"Mmm, what happened?" Elena said her eyes fluttering.

"You passed out kitten," Damon said helping her up from the couch.

"Oh, I am sorry." Elena muttered, embarrassed.

"No, need to apologize dear." Shelia said as she walked into the room.

"Grams, hi." Elena said, she had known Bonnie's Grams since they were little kids in kindergarten, they were practically family. If Elena trusted anyone with her life it was Shelia Bennett.

"Elena, dear, we have to begin the protection spell, I know you haven't had time to be filled in yet, but we must act quickly. The meteor shower is in two days time. If this spell backfires we need enough time to prepare for war." The eldest Bennett witch said as she brought Damon and Elena close together.

"Now, you must both take this knife and slice opposite hands," the witch said handing them the knife. "We must act quickly as Damon will start healing much too fast." She explained.

Elena took the knife, her hands were shaking, "It's okay kitten, be strong." Damon reassured her, Elena took the knife and pressed firmly against the hand that wasn't bandaged, the knife was sharp it took little pressure and her hand was bleeding, "Good now Damon you must act quickly," Shelia said as she began to draw a circle around them in coarse salt. Damon took the knife slicing his hand opposite of Elena's, he gritted his teeth as the blade made easy work of his flesh. "Now you must hurry press, your hands together quickly!" Shelia instructed as her and Bonnie began to chant.

Damon and Elena's hands were pressed firmly together, their blood mixing, the chanting got louder, as if there were more voices than just Bonnie and Shelia. The lights in the room began to flicker, Damon and Elena just stared deep within each other's eyes. It felt as if a million little pieces of her heart were being put together, as Elena got flashes of memories, memories that were not hers. She saw a young boy running threw a field of wild flowers 'Mother come and catch me' the boy yelled, the boy had raven hair, and bright blue eyes, the woman behind him a mirror copy, 'Slow down my boy, Damon, slow down!' the woman called out, another flash.

Damon sat in a study like room, mauling over a book, 'Stefan!' he yelled to his brother across the room, 'Have you completed your studies for the day? You know how father gets upset when you slack off?' Damon said to his brother, 'Yes brother I have, come we should go play ball.' Stefan smiled at his brother, yet again another flash.

'Sweet Damon, how you are always so eager to please me.' Kathrine pursed her lips, as she grazed her hand across Damon's face. 'Of course, my love,' he purred into Kathrine's hand. 'If only I loved you as I loved Stefan, for you will never be the one.' Kathrine belittled him, there was only pain in Damon's eyes.

Elena gasped; there was many more memories that flashed before her eyes, ones where Damon's father was beating him, times of the Civil war, his time locked away at the Augustine's, and a memory that made Elena get tears in her eyes. It was the night her parents died, he saved her, he had jumped into the water, her father had motioned to save her. Elena screamed but nobody could hear her it was after all a memory. Elena knew everything.

In Damon's mind he began to see things, a small girl was sitting eating ice-cream 'Mommy, can we go play at the park?' the girl asked her mother who was tending to a small baby, 'Oh El, not tonight sweetie, Jeremy needs to get to bed soon.' Elena's mother replied sadly.

There was a flash, 'Hey 'Lena, are you going to the Lockwood party." A boy with blonde hair asked her. 'Yeah, I think so Matty.' Elena replied to the boy giving him a kiss on the cheek. Damon grimaced at the memory, he already knew what the next memory would be as he had lived it himself. He felt cold, there was water lots of water in this memory and screams, he saw Elena struggling to breathe, he saw himself reaching in the car and bringing her to the surface. He remembered that night, how he laid her on the bank of the river and pushed on her chest blowing air into her lungs begging God to save her.

Damon felt himself loosing consciousness.

Suddenly there was a loud crack, when Elena opened her eyes the whole room was pitch black.

"Bonnie? Grams?" Elena screamed.

"We are hear child, don't be afraid, it appears all the magic energy caused a power outage." Shelia said as she lit a few candles.

"Damon! Oh my god Bonnie, Shelia help!" Elena said as Damon slumped onto her.

Bonnie and Grams helped Elena lay Damon down on the couch. He looked so peaceful.

"What is wrong with him?" Elena asked concerned.

"Well, I am not sure, we knew there was risks doing this spell with soulmates," Grams pondered.

"If there were risks we shouldn't have done it," Elena cried, she couldn't lose him, 'I love him,' Elena thought to herself, tears falling from her face. She leant down and placed a kiss on Damon's lips. A sudden rush came upon them, like a bright light bursting from within. Suddenly Damon gasped. He felt like a million needles were piercing his heart, his lungs were burning, everything felt fuzzy, he felt deaf.

He struggled to talk "What the fuck did you do to me?" he asked his voice was harsh. He took in breaths, they felt like sandpaper, he felt like his insides were being torn apart. "AHHHH." He yelled out, he felt as if all the energy was being expelled from his body. Elena looked at him with fear in her eyes, she grabbed his hand, she got a jolt of energy pass thru her.

The pain was suddenly gone, Damon sighed, "Okay, apparently I am okay now." He breathed in deep, for once it felt like he needed to breathe. He felt strange, his eyes got wide, he pushed his hand to his chest, there it was, thump, thump. His heart was beating, for the first time in 150 years he had a heart beat.

"What the hell?" He cried out.

"What is wrong Damon?" Bonnie asked concerned.

"I… I have a heart beat. I need to breathe…" Damon was bewildered, he got up from the couch and tried to run at vamp speed, he could still run it was still fast but it wasn't full vamp speed. He could still see in the dark, and his hearing was still heightened. But then why did he have a heartbeat, why were his lungs working.

"Well, this is very interesting indeed." Shelia mused. "Elena, can you hear anything unusual?" Shelia asked Elena, Elena was confused, everything did seem louder. "Um well things sound louder I suppose." Elena answered, that and things smelt stronger, and everything seemed brighter. "Everything seems brighter and smells stronger." She blurted out.

"This is a very remarkable discovery." Shelia was amazed.

"What does this mean?" Damon piped up.

"Well, Mister Salvatore, this means that you are practically human, and Elena has taken on vampire abilities, we have essentially merged you together." Shelia said writing things down in a little book.

"I'm… human…" Damon stammered, feeling his legs getting weak.


	22. Chapter 22

Warning this chapter contains heavy sexual matter, view discretion is advised.

Chapter 22

"Well, nearly yes, I am not sure if you will have sensitivity to sun anymore, and well we could test the blood theory right now." Shelia said pricking her finger with a pin, Damon didn't feel the usual burning in his throat, he tried to extend his fangs, nothing.

"So, apparently I don't need to drink blood anymore?" Damon was amazed.

"It would appear so, hmm let me see your hand" Shelia said, grabbing Damon's hand and pressing lightly into it with a knife. "Ow!" he cried out ripping his hand away, as he looked down he noticed it healing, just as it would if he was still a vampire.

"Well, from what it looks like the only things that haven't changed are your speed, senses and your healing ability otherwise you seem to be human with supernatural abilities." Shelia stated writing all her findings down.

Elena was amazed, "Does that mean I also have supernatural abilities?" she asked, Grams walked over to her and pricked Elena's finger, much to her surprise the finger instantly healed. Elena was amazed, she got a thought, she took off her bandage, the cut from the mirror was gone.

"Wow," she said amazed.

"Elena, you still need to be careful, don't go anywhere without Damon, Kathrine is out there and she will come after you," Grams warned, as the two soulmates got ready to leave.

"Thank you for everything Grams, I promise I won't leave Damon's side," Elena said engulfing the older woman in a hug. "I will text you as soon as we get home Bonnie." Elena said hugging her friend.

Damon and Elena left the Bennett house, it was dark out, Elena gasped, "Jenna is going to be so worried," she looked down to her phone amazed that her aunt hadn't tried phoning. Elena called Jenna's cell.

Ring -Ring

"Elena, hey sorry I am not home yet, something came up at work and I had to stay late." Jenna said, Elena sighed in relief.

"Oh, its okay Aunt Jenna, I wanted to tell you I was studying with Bonnie and lost track of time I am not home yet either." Elena replied.

"Oh, okay then that's cool Elena, I'll see you in a little while, actually just take some money from the jar, buy yourself some supper. I think that I might be gone really late tonight." Jenna said, Elena heard laughter in the background and what sounded like a club. Elena sighed to herself, 'Jenna is out drinking.'

"Yeah okay that sounds good Aunt Jenna," Elena groaned as she hung up the phone.

Damon looked hard at Elena, "Are you okay?" he asked as he opened the car door for Elena.

"Yeah, I guess, its just Aunt Jenna, she's been drinking a lot, its her coping mechanism. But with everything going on right now, I really hate having to worry about her too. Does that make me selfish?" Elena asked tears, threatening to leave her eyes.

"Of course, not baby, it makes you human." Damon sighed, if his compulsion still works he will deal with Jenna he thought to himself. "Come on let's get you home." Damon said as he started the car up.

The drive back to Elena's house was short, Damon parked his car down the street after dropping Elena off. He didn't want poor Aunt Jenna getting any ideas seeing his car in the drive way. Elena was waiting for him in the porch. "Come on, lets get inside, its getting cold." Elena said shivering. Damon for once agreed with her, it was cold, much colder than he remembered.

"You are going to stay tonight right?" Elena asked as they got inside.

"Yeah, if that's what you want?" Damon said, he had planned to stay regardless, he wanted to keep an eye on her, Kathrine was still out there.

"Of course, I do, I am going upstairs to change and check on Jeremy, could you order dinner? I am easy what ever you want just order two of." Elena yawned, she felt sleepy.

Elena went upstairs, she popped into Jeremy's room noticing the boy was fast asleep, his headphones still firmly in place. Elena smiled, he looked so innocent, she noticed textbooks, and other homework sprawled out in front of him. 'that's odd, Jeremy never does homework.' Elena thought to herself, pleased by her brothers new found interest in school. She took the papers and set them on Jeremy's desk. She then went and pulled the covers up over Jeremy, he looked so young like this she thought to herself, as she went and got ready for bed.

Downstairs Damon was rummaging through cupboards, finding some pasta, and other miscellaneous items he put together a simple spaghetti Bolognese. He washed the pots and put them away. When he was satisfied it tasted just right he set the table, plating the food just as Elena walked down the stairs. He had set the table with a little candle in the middle and had set the lights low.

Elena got to the table and was amazed, "Did you make this?" her eyes were wide.

"Well, I am not just a pretty face you know," Damon laughed, "Also where do you think the last name Salvatore comes from, I am Italian Elena, its in my blood to be a good cook." He gloated.

"Okay, tiger simmer down, I haven't even tasted it yet." Elena laughed, honestly it looked like a meal made from chef Ramsey himself. She turned the spaghetti on her fork, putting it to her mouth, it tasted like heaven. "Mhmm, okay "slurp" you can gloat, this is to die for!" Elena moaned, stuffing her face.

"Slow down kitten, you will choke, my god it looks like you haven't eaten in days." Damon laughed as he began to eat himself. As soon as the food touched his tongue he was in shock, food had never tasted this good in forever, the knew found humanity was amazing him every second.

After supper they put the dishes in the dishwasher, Elena nearly dropped a glass, Damon swooped in and caught it. Elena giggled. "I like you, you know how to laugh." Damon said smiling. Elena smiled back, it seemed so normal being with him like this.

"How about we head to bed." Elena sighed, feeling a yawn coming on. "Oh, yes we should, you look really sleepy kitten." Damon purred.

As they got to her bedroom, Elena locked the door behind her. "You aren't going to sleep in your jeans, again are you?" Elena commented.

"If you don't want me to?" Damon smirked. "Well I don't think it would be comfortable for either of us if you did." Elena said seductively. The thickness in her voice shocked Damon, he felt himself getting hot.

"Your blushing!" Elena almost laughed.

"You make me hot." Damon replied thickly. Elena felt her heart beating in her throat, Damon reached down and brought the two of them together in a heated kiss. Kissing her felt amazing it felt like every molecule in his body was pulsing. Their kisses deepened, as he shrugged his jeans off. They lay on her bed, he leaned over her planting kisses down her neck, paying close attention to her collarbones. Elena was panting, the farthest she had ever got with a man was a kiss with Matt. Elena felt her mind spinning, everything was going so fast, she couldn't slow down, she didn't want to slow down, this just felt right.

Damon pulled his shirt off, the room was getting extremely hot. He planted more feverish kisses down Elena's body, her little tank top was getting in the way. He really hoped she didn't like it because he ripped it from her body. Exposing the soft flesh underneath, the sight of her made him groan. He could feel himself growing uncomfortably hard. "Elena, if we don't stop this soon, I am not going to be able to control myself." He mumbled into her hair. "I don't want you to stop." She moaned. That was all he needed to hear. He unhooked her bra, the soft little mounds bound to life. Elena rushed her hands to hide them embarrassed. "Don't, don't hide from me, you are beautiful." Damon gushed out. Elena moved her hands away, he placed hot open-mouthed kisses over her body. She gasped his mouth felt like molten lava, she felt a burning desire deep within her. She felt his manhood rubbing against her thigh as he came up to kiss her mouth again. She moaned in ecstasy. She slid her shorts down her legs, leaving only her lacy underwear exposed. Damon slipped a finger inside the seam of her underwear feeling the wetness of her arousal. He growled, he slipped a finger inside of her. She bucked her hips. He could feel a barrier, "Elena, are you sure you want to continue this." He said in shock. 'she is a virgin.' "Yes, please don't stop." She gasped out.

He groaned, pulling her panties down, and pulling his boxers off. He positioned himself above her, his icy eyes meeting her warm chocolate ones. There was a deep connection between them. A connection that could not be defined in any words. He looked to her for reassurance. "Please." She begged. He plunged within her in one fast stroke, so to get the pain over. He stayed there. She screamed slightly in pain, feeling how much he stretched her. "Are you okay?" he asked concerned. "Please move." She pleaded. He moved slowly, thrusting short so not to hurt her. She could feel a pressure building up, the pain seizing to exist, only a desire to increase the pace. "Please, faster." She cried. He grunted, moving out at a much faster pace, he felt himself getting close, he panted hard, "Elena, I am really close." He moaned, "Please faster." She moaned, he gave it everything he had, it felt like a tidal wave washed over them as they both reached climax. She felt him jerk above her, hot liquid pooling inside of her. He pushed all the way in filling her deep with his seed. He fell almost on top of her breathing heavily.

"Are you okay?" he said when he could finally talk again. Elena lay there staring into the night, her body and soul feeling complete.

"I am excellent," she sighed curling up on his chest.

"Thank god, I thought I hurt you." he purred, kissing her hair.

"Mmm, no you didn't, that was amazing." She yawned, she felt her eyes getting heavy. "I love you." she mumbled as sleep took her.

Damon lay there shocked, had he heard her right, "I love you too Elena." He whispered. For once in his life he felt complete. He sighed as sleep took over him.

Once again outside a figure stood below the window. "You don't have long lover boy, I am coming for you, and I will not stop until all of you are dead."


	23. Chapter 23

**I** **apologize greatly for the delay in writing. I had so many large reports due this week. I have been picking away at this chapter all week. I hope that it is satisfactory. Please Review! I will be working on writing chapter 24 and beyond as soon as I can. Once again thank you all for your support. CLM18**

Chapter 23

When Elena woke up, it felt like the night before was a dream, a gentle breeze was blowing in her window, there was a note left on the pillow beside her again.

My dearest Elena,

I had to go home to shower and get clean clothes. I will be back to pick you up for school at 8:00.

P.S last night was the best night of my life.

Love

Damon

Elena smiled "I love you too Damon." She said aloud. She looked down at herself pulling the covers over her nude frame. She had almost forgotten she was naked. Her inner thighs ached, there was a panging pain in her core. But overall, she felt alive, more alive than ever before. She looked at her clock, 6:45. 'Shit! I totally forgot to message Bonnie.' She scrambled to find her phone, text Bonnie – _'Lena did you get home okay?_

 _Bonnie, I am so sorry, I got distracted last night, I was so tired. Got home okay._ Elena felt bad lying to her friend, but apart of her wasn't ready to let anyone know about her and Damon's personal life. She wanted to keep it all to herself. She smiled remembering the night before.

She got ready for school, jumping in the shower before Jeremy got up. The hot water streamed over her, she didn't want to wash away the scent of Damon. The earthy, pine smell with a hint of liquor was clinging to her skin. She rinsed her body washing only the necessary areas. She washed her hair. Getting out of the shower and going over to the sink to brush her teeth. Admiring herself in the new mirror. 'Jeremy or Jenna must have put this up yesterday.' Elena gritted her teeth, recalling the incident. She straightened her hair and put on minimal makeup, for some reason she felt beautiful all on her own today. For the first time in months she felt alive.

She got out of the bathroom, realizing that Damon had left his shirt there. He must have just worn his jacket home, she thought to herself. Picking up the shirt and taking a deep breath in. 'I don't think he would mind if I borrowed this.' Elena smiled to herself. Finding a nice pair of dark jeans, she pulled the black t-shirt on tucking it in her pants. Putting on a belt with a significant buckle she headed downstairs. Walking past Jenna's bedroom, she saw her aunt laying on her bed completely zonked out, drooling all over the place. Elena sighed.

"Jer, are you up for school yet?" She yelled in the direction of her brother's room, "Yeah, 'Lena I am coming." Jeremy called back groggily.

Elena got downstairs and went to the kitchen to get breakfast. 'Today is going to be great!' Elena smiled to herself.

On the other side of town, Damon was also getting ready for the day. When he had gotten home the house was quiet. Stefan was sleeping and there was a note on the fridge explaining that Zach had gone to Richmond. Damon looked in the fridge for something to eat, he almost gagged seeing the blood. "Nope, I'll pick something up on the road." He said aloud. He went to his room and took off his jacket, the cold air hit the soft skin underneath, little goosebumps embellished it. 'Guess I forgot my shirt at Elena's' he smiled to himself.

He got into the shower; the warm water felt good on his cold skin, he could still smell her arousal on himself. He groaned at the thought of her body beneath his. He turned the shower to cold. He didn't have time for such selfish games. He hurried out of the shower, drying off and getting dressed.

When he got to the kitchen to get coffee, Stefan was awake.

"Where the hell were you yesterday?" Stefan asked gruffly sipping some blood from a coffee cup.

Damon felt his stomach turn, "I went to see a witch, with Elena." He said pouring himself some coffee.

"There's blood in the fridge." Stefan reminded Damon.

"I realize that." Damon retorted, 'how stupid is he, can he seriously not hear my heartbeat'

"There's something wrong with you." Stefan said squinting his eyes.

'No shit! I am human, you block head' Damon wanted to scream at Stefan, "Hmm, nothing is wrong." He said sipping his coffee.

"You smell a lot like Elena today." Stefan commented.

"Thank you… I assume I should, I am seeing her after all." Damon grunted.

"Shh, there's someone here." Stefan remarked, listening intently to the thumping of a heart.

"There is nobody here but you and me Stef." Damon replied, realizing his brother had finally noticed a heart beat.

"No, there is listen! There's a heart beating." Stefan snapped back.

"Stef, come here." Damon said pulling his brother close to his chest. Stefan's eyes went huge.

"HOW!" Stefan nearly yelled. Damon quickly explained the ritual to Stefan, he left out the after part, he didn't want to make his brother feel uncomfortable. He knew how much Elena meant to Stefan.

"Wow, just wow. So, your telling me Mrs. Bennett did some sort of mojo and poof Damon is human?" Stefan said sarcastically in shock.

"Not entirely, she did some stuff, but I am not completely human Stefan, and neither is Elena, we have merged or something. My blood runs in her veins and gives her superhuman abilities. We still don't know the extent of the abilities or what my weaknesses are." Damon explained taking the last sip of coffee out of his cup. "We will talk more later. I've got to go and pick Elena up for school. Please keep your guard up today. Kathrine is still on the loose and up to something." Damon said pulling on his jacket.

Stefan nodded as Damon left out the front door.

When Damon pulled up in front of Elena's house she was waiting outside for him. The first thing that he noticed was her shirt. 'That little minx, she is wearing my shirt.' He smirked.

Elena smiled as she got in the car, her eyes shining. "I like your outfit today." Damon laughed.

"Oh, I hope you don't mind." Elena smirked.

"No, not at all dear, it looks good on you." he said seductively.

As they pulled up at the school Damon looked tentatively around the grounds, he was looking for anything suspicious. It looked too normal. He furrowed his brows. "Have a good day at school Babe, please call or text me at the first sign of trouble." He said placing a soft kiss on her lips.

Bonnie and Caroline were waiting in the hall for her. "Elena! Hey how are you today?" Bonnie asked, slightly staring at her shirt.

"I am great Bon, amazing actually!" Elena said beaming.

Caroline watched her friend intently, "You had sex!" she exclaimed.

"Caroline!" Bonnie yelled at her blonde friend.

Elena blushed the darkest shade of red.

"Bonnie look! She's blushing its true!" Caroline was jumping up and down. Bonnie's eyes were wide, "Elena?"

Elena gulped, "Its true, and it was amazing." Elena laughed nervously.

"Oh, you have to tell us everything!" Caroline squealed.

"Caroline! Seriously leave her alone!" Bonnie said dragging the girl away. Mouthing "I'm sorry" to Elena.

Elena just smiled to herself, as she walked down the hallway she caught sight of Stefan, she had a sudden upsetting feeling seeing him. He turned around and looked straight into her eyes. She could see the pain, the jealousy. She quickly looked away and walked faster down the hall.

"Elena," she heard Stefan's voice behind her, she froze in her spot.

"Stefan, please. Please don't say anything. I am still upset about yesterday, I saw you kissing Kathrine. I know you thought it was me. How could you ever think I would do that to Damon?" Elena was nearly in tears.

"Elena, I am sorry, I know that it was Kathrine. I know you would never do that to Damon, please Elena. Can we still be friends?" Stefan pleaded.

"I… I don't know Stefan, please just give me some space." Elena said pulling her backpack over her shoulder and heading to history class.

Down the hall a dark figure lurked awaiting their next victim, a certain blonde cheerleader, who was about to be brought into a very dark and twisted plot.


	24. Chapter 24

**Okay, so my big assignments are all caught up so I will have lots of time this weekend to devote to this story. For all you Steroline Fan's out there you will be happy to know I am including their ship in this story beginning this Chapter! Please Read and Review. Thanks for all your support! CLM18**

Chapter 24

Caroline Forbes, head cheerleader was putting up recruitment forms, smiling and bouncing down the hall. Her personality was at times suffocating, but over all she was a good old small-town girl.

"Elena? Hey, I thought you were in history, and why did you change?" Caroline said as she saw Elena walking towards her. "Woah! How did you make your hair do that? It was straight this morning?" Caroline was confused.

"You really should be more careful who you talk to in lonely hallways Miss Forbes." The girl said as she pushed Caroline against the wall. _You wont scream, you will drink my blood._ Kathrine compelled her, slicing her own wrist, and pushing it into Caroline's mouth. Caroline was terrified, 'why is Elena doing this?' she thought to herself choking on the blood pooling in her mouth. "Swallow foolish girl." Kathrine scowled.

From the history classroom Stefan heard a familiar voice _swallow foolish girl_ 'Kathrine!' Stefan felt nauseous. "Mr. Saltzman may I be excused?" He asked politely, "Of course, Mr. Salvatore." Alaric responded.

Elena looked at Stefan suspiciously, 'What is he up to?' she thought to herself.

Stefan stumbled out of the classroom, rushing to the sound of Kathrine's voice, when he got there Caroline lay slumped on the floor, her neck appeared to be broken. "Oh my god!" he cried out silently. He could see the blood on her mouth. 'why would Kathrine do this to you, you poor thing.' Stefan sighed, he quickly picked Caroline up and ran out of the school to his car, avoiding all the security guards. He placed her in the back seat, pulling his phone out and calling Damon.

Damon was in the Grill chowing down on a burger and fries, talking to the sheriff about the Vervain stock. "Okay, so Zach said that he would be able to get another shipment from Richmond by next Tuesday." Damon said in between chews. "That is good, we need as much as we can get. My god Damon when did you last eat? Your eating that burger like you haven't seen food in years." The sheriff commented as Damon finished swallowing a large amount of food. "Mm, sorry I missed breakfast." Damon said sheepishly, just then his phone started vibrating, "I'm sorry Liz, but I've got to take this call, I'll let you know as soon as Zach gets back." Damon said answering his phone.

"What?" Damon said gruffly.

"We, have a HUGE problem." Stefan said his hand shaking.

"What happened?" Damon said slapping a 50 on the table and pulling his jacket on.

"Kathrine, happened. She gave the sheriff's daughter her blood and snapped her neck." Stefan was terrified.

"What the fuck! Where were you? Never mind, but Elena is okay right? Wait don't tell me you left the school Stef?" Damon was growing furious.

"I couldn't leave a dead, transitioning school girl in the hallway Damon! Seriously!" Stefan said angerly.

"Okay, Okay. I am on my way, go home and prepare to feed the girl blood." Damon said softly. "For Fucks SAKE! All I want is one day of peace!" he yelled slamming his fists on his steering wheel. Text Elena – _Elena stay close to Bonnie, something has happened I am coming to pick you girls up. We need to go see Bonnies Grams. It is important. I love you. -D_

Damon sped off to the school.

Elena looked down to her phone, History class had just finished, her eyes went wide reading the message. "Bonnie," Elena said nervously to her friend.

"What's wrong El?" Bonnie asked concerned.

"Damon is coming to pick us up something bad happened." Elena felt her blood run cold.

"Oh, no I hope its not something about the ritual." Bonnie felt extremely nervous.

"I don't know he said he'd be here really soon." Elena said.

The girls went out to the front of the school, they ran to Damon's car as soon as he pulled up.

"What's wrong?" Elena said getting in the front seat.

"Its Caroline." Damon said sadly.

"Care?" Bonnie felt sick.

"What happened Damon?" Elena demanded feeling sick herself.

"Kathrine… Kathrine turned her." Damon said as they drove to the elder witch's house.

"What?" Both Bonnie and Elena cried.

"I am sorry, I don't know what she wants with her. But we need to see your Grams Bonnie, so she can make Caroline a daylight ring. Stefan will help Caroline, he can put her on his bunny diet, it will all be okay. Trust me please." Damon pleaded.

"Oh, poor Caroline, this is horrible. She would never have wanted this." Elena cried. Bonnie just sat there, tears streaming down her cheeks. The realization that her best friend would never grow up, have children, get married. All these thoughts were running through her mind. "Bonnie are you okay?" Elena said looking back to her friend.

"Uh, yeah. Lets just go and talk to Grams." Bonnie said swallowing the bile that was growing in her throat.

As they got to Grams and talked to her, on the other side of town, Stefan and Caroline were at the boarding house.

"mmmm where am I?" the cheerleader asked as she slowly woke up, looking around the living room she presently lay in. The massive fireplace was tentatively burning.

"Hey, um Caroline is it?" Stefan asked softly.

"Uh, yes. You're Stefan, right?" Caroline said rubbing her neck, it felt stiff, then she remembered, she began to panic.

"Woah Caroline calm down. You need to calm down okay." Stefan said wrapping his arms around her.

"But Elena, she attacked me, she made me drink her blood, oh my god I thought I was dead she snapped my neck… Oh my god…" Caroline was hyperventilating, her mouth was hurting. "What's wrong with me, my teeth hurt so much, Stefan help me, oh my god what is wrong with me?" she cried.

"You need to calm down, that wasn't Elena that attacked you. It was a woman named Kathrine. I don't know what she wants with you, we need to keep you safe. What I am about to tell you is going to be very difficult to understand you need to calm down okay?" Stefan said calmly.

He had gone to the fridge earlier and grabbed some blood, it sat in a little coffee cup beside him.

"Caroline, the girl that attacked you, she was a vampire. I am a vampire Caroline, and now if you choose to be one too, you will be." Stefan tried to explain simply.

"What do you mean choose, and vampires? What the hell is going on? Oh my god make the pain stop, I feel like my teeth are trying to push out of my face." Caroline screamed as fangs began to push through her gums. She put her fingers to her mouth, a fang slicing her finger. "Ow! What the hell?" her eyes went wide with shock. "No, no, no I can't be a vampire this is crazy." Caroline struggled in Stefan's arms.

"You have a choice, if you drink blood now and complete the transition you will become a vampire, and you can live a normal life. I will help you. My brother and I can help you. Or you can just not feed, but you will die." Stefan said brushing the hair out of Caroline's eyes.

The blonde sat there, tears streaming down her face. "If I die, I'll leave my mom Stefan, she's all alone. But if I become a vampire I could kill her. Oh god I don't want to hurt my mom." Caroline cried.

"I promise you, Damon and I we will help you, you won't hurt your mom Caroline. I promise." Stefan pulled her into a hug, something about the hug felt so right.

"Okay, okay I'll do it, please help me." Caroline cried into Stefan's shirt, he smelled tangy, like citrus, it was inviting.

"Shh, I will do anything to help you, I promise." Stefan said placing a small kiss into the girl's hair.


	25. Chapter 25

**This chapter is strictly Steroline Fluff. I also wanted to allude that the next few chapters are going to be rather dark, as it will be the show down between Klaus and the gang. Please stay tuned. Read and Review :) CLM18**

Chapter 25

Stefan handed Caroline the cup with blood in it, "Okay so you just have to drink this, take a little sip at a time." Stefan said softly.

Caroline looked down in the cup, watching the blood ripple as her hands shook. She felt sick looking at it, yet something inside was calling to her.

She placed it to her lips letting the lukewarm liquid touch her tongue. Instantly her eyes darkened, her fangs elongated. Stefan sat beside her admiring the girl before him, he had never seen such a beautiful creature before. Even as vampiric features marred her perfect complexion it made her look fierce. Stefan felt himself loosing control of his own desires. He sucked air into his dead lungs. This girl would be the death of him.

"Caroline whoa that's enough." He said as he saw her grasping the cup viciously.

"I need more Stefan!" She growled.

"No, no you don't. you need to control yourself. We are going to go to the forest for a few days. Damon will be here soon with a daylight ring for you." Stefan said placing his hand over hers. He pulled his cell phone out to call Damon.

Ring-Ring

"We are on our way Stef. How is she?" Damon answered.

"Good, she has transitioned. I will meet you at the door, its not safe for her to be around humans right now." Stefan said.

"Hmm yes good idea, are you headed to the forest right away?" Damon asked.

"Yes, that would be best it should only be for a few days." Stefan said.

"Okay well I will go to Elena's until you are gone." Damon said.

"Good bye brother." Stefan said as he hung up the phone.

"Why can't Damon come inside Stefan, he's obviously a vampire too right? I wouldn't hurt him, would I?" Caroline asked confused.

"Yes, well I haven't told you everything." Stefan sighed as he retold the tale of Elena and Damon's merger and the threat of Klaus.

"Wow, just wow. This whole time, Bonnie and Elena… they have been going through so much, and I never knew..." Caroline said trying to force back tears, she felt upset her friends hadn't trusted her.

"I don't think they meant to keep it from you Care, I just think they thought it was best to keep you safe." Stefan said trying to calm the newly turned vampire. He knew how strongly her emotions were right now, a simple thing could trigger something huge.

"I know but look at how good that worked. I am dead, I am a vampire. My mom is going to hate me. I am never going to grow up! Have a family! Oh god Stefan, how do you do this? How do you live everyday?" Caroline cried, Stefan pulled her into another hug, "Its going to be okay Care, you have me, you have Elena and Bonnie, and even Damon. We will all be there for you." Stefan said reassuringly.

The doorbell rang. "Stef, I am back!" Stefan heard Damon yell through the door.

"That's Damon, I am going to go and get your ring now okay. Then we are going to head to the forest, so I can teach you how to hunt. Okay?" Stefan asked brushing his fingers up her arm, she shivered.

"Okay." She whispered.

"I am coming Damon!" Stefan called out as he came to the door.

"Thank you, Damon," Stefan said as he opened the door and got the lapis lazuli stoned ring from his brother's hand. Like his own ring and Damon's, the little ring was made of lapis lazuli the only stone able to be enchanted so that vampires could walk in the sun.

"You're welcome brother, the Bennett witch said that we need to be extremely careful, the meteor shower is tomorrow Stefan. You need to get Caroline under control and fast. If Klaus comes to town none of us are going to be safe." Damon said as he gently squeezed his brothers arm.

"I will try my best Dam." Stefan said closing the door, looking back to Caroline who was sitting on the couch fidgeting.

Stefan felt uneasy, he knew that he didn't have much time to help Caroline through the transition. He had to help Damon protect Elena, they still didn't know much about how the merger affected Damon's abilities. Stefan pinched the bridge of his nose. "Here you go Care. I know it's not the usual kind of ring you would expect from a boy." Stefan chuckled trying to make the nervous girl feel a bit better.

"Thank you, Stefan, you have been so caring and understanding. I really appreciate all your help." Caroline said slipping the little ring on her finger.

"Of course, Miss Forbes, I am a gentleman after all." Stefan smirked as he helped Caroline off the couch.

"Come, we are going to the forest, it seems like we have a time crunch, so I am going to try my hardest to help you adjust okay?" Stefan said linking his arm with hers.

"Okay, I feel really safe with you Stefan. I trust you to help me." Caroline smiled grabbing Stefan's hand in her own. They both felt a heat between them an unrecognizable fire. If she could still blush Caroline knew she would be fire engine red. She gulped, instead of pulling away she held tighter. Stefan groaned "Care, your squeezing the life out of my hand."

"Oh! I am so sorry." Caroline's eyes went wide in embarrassment.

"No need to apologize, you just don't know your own strength yet." Stefan smiled as they reached his little red car. "Okay let's get you out to the forest we are going to go and hunt."

"What exactly are we hunting?" Caroline was worried.

"No people, don't worry, I don't do people. We will be looking for deer mostly." Stefan said putting the car in drive.

"So, you don't eat people?" Caroline was confused.

"No, I did along time ago, but I can't control the thirst. I am not like Damon, he could always control it. He would always feed, wipe and release. But for me its impossible. Something inside of me takes over, when I feed I can't control it. I can't cut it off before its too late." Stefan cringed thinking about all the people he had murdered, how he had separated their heads from their bodies, the thought's made him feel sick.

"Oh." Caroline was shocked.

"I am sorry to burden you with that, I haven't told anyone but my best friend Lexi about this before. I am sorry I went to far." Stefan was embarrassed.

"No, no Stefan its okay. I am sorry I didn't mean to answer that way, I was just so surprised. You seem so level headed, from what I have seen of your brother. He looks like the unstable one…" Caroline commented.

"Ha-ha, your cute Care." Stefan smiled, his eyes soft and loving. "Damon, is something else I'll tell you that. For along time I thought there was nothing human left in Damon. That he was a monster. When I met Elena I really wanted her… but when I saw how Damon looked at her, how she looked at him. For once in a long time I saw someone I hadn't seen, my brother. I tried to fight their feelings for each other; but slowly I realized I didn't want him to stop loving her, because he was turning into someone I wanted to be around. I know that it has only been a few weeks since they got together but, I can already tell that he's changed." Stefan explained to Caroline. Caroline smiled at him, Stefan felt his heart clench; if it could still beat, it would be beating out of his chest.

"I think that you're a good brother Stefan. You're a good man." Caroline reached over and placed her hand over Stefan's, her warm sapphire eyes smiled at him. He felt a warmth growing inside him.

"Care, I know that this is not the time, or the place for this. But I really need to say this because I feel like if I don't do it now, that I may never do it." Stefan began, swallowing hard, for what he was about to say was the most selfish thing he had ever said. "Caroline, I know we only officially met today, but there is something about you, something I can't shake, no matter what I say or do right now. I would really like it if you considered going on a date with me, when all of this apocalyptic stuff is out of the way?" Stefan asked gritting his teeth. Caroline was caught off guard.

"Me?" Caroline asked.

"Yes you." Stefan smirked.

"You want to go on a date with me? I am the girl that sleeps around and all the guys just want a piece of, nobody ever goes on dates with Caroline Forbes." Caroline said sadly.

"Care, your special, your loving, hell I don't know any vampire that given the chance to either live or die, is worried about hurting their friends or family like you. You are like a light; your whole presence warms me. For 150 years I roamed this earth looking for someone to fill the void that Kathrine left on me. I see that void being filled with you." Stefan bowed his head at the thought of what Kathrine did to him, what she did to Damon.

"Oh Stefan, that is the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me. When all this stuff with that Klaus guy is over, I will let you take me on a date. Maybe even two dates." Caroline smiled squeezing his hand.

Stefan smiled widely. As they got to the forest there was someone waiting for them. A tall dark figure lurked in the trees. Waiting.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

As they entered the forest something felt wrong. "Wait here Care, someone is here." Stefan said as he reached in the back of his car for a stake.

"Now, now Stefan, is that really how you greet old friends." A tall man said as he began to walk towards them, the man had a thick British accent, his hair was a reddish blonde, his face was sharp, his eyes were pure evil.

"Who are you?" Stefan said gripping the stake tightly in his hands.

"In all good time Rippah. I need you and your little girlfriend to do me a favour. I see that Katrina has held up her end of the deal, I am pleased." The man replied, grabbing a hold of Caroline and stroking her cheek.

Stefan grimaced at the mention of ripper, he was furious when the man grabbed Caroline, "Let her go, I'll do whatever you want just don't hurt her." He yelled.

"hmm, I won't hurt her, she is far too sweet. You will come with me Rippah, we have work to do." The man said dragging Caroline with him to an SUV parked farther down the path, Stefan running behind them.

"I will keep this fair maiden as a bargaining chip, as for you I have plans for you brother." The man said emphasising strongly on the word brother. Stefan felt sick, he reached out to attack the man. The man snapped Stefan's hand away at lightning speed, _"You will not do that again, I am much older than you, much stronger than you. You will obey me, do you hear."_ The older vampire said to Stefan, Stefan felt as if he was being compelled, like when he was human with Kathrine.

"I will obey you." Stefan said almost robotically, the words forced from his mouth, he had no control.

Caroline screamed. _"Now precious you are not going to scream any more, you are not going to move from this car"_ the evil vampire compelled her. Caroline slumped into the back of the car, her whole body frozen. The door was slammed, Caroline was terrified, she reached into her pocket and got out her phone, text Elena _help! Stefan and I are in the woods, some crazy guy has caught us and trapped us. I don't know what to do Elena, help!_

Caroline was shaking, this day just seemed to get worse. Outside the car the older vampire stood talking to Stefan.

"Now, you are going to come with me, we have a lot of work to do before tomorrow night. You are going to help me capture your brother, the Bennett girl and of course Elena." The way the man said Elena's name made Stefan sick, it was then he realized who this man was. "Klaus! You are Klaus aren't you!" Stefan spat out.

"You are a perceptive creature aren't you. You need to stop with the questions it could get you hurt. Now, your going to phone your brother, tell him you met a big bad vampire in the woods and he needs to come and rescue you." Klaus said, Stefan felt faint, he couldn't bring Damon out here, Damon was human or close enough, but Stefan had to obey Klaus he couldn't break the compulsion. He reached in his pocket and took out his phone calling his brother. – Ring- Ring

"Hey Stef, is everything alright?" Damon answered his voice sounding groggy, 'he must be sleeping' Stefan thought to himself.

"No. I need you to come out to the woods, Klaus is here, he wants Elena. Damon, I need your help he's captured Caroline." Stefan said.

"Jesus! Fuck! I'll be right there, I am going to bring Bonnie okay, we need a witch, she's been practicing she can do this thing that demobilizes vamps. I am coming brother, please don't do anything stupid." Damon said as he rolled over looking to the girl beside him.

Elena had stayed at the boarding house with him that night, they had made love repeatedly. Damon felt so complete with her, he couldn't lose her. Not now. He reached down and placed a kiss on her forehead. "I love you, you are the only light in my life. I will fight for you." he whispered into her hair. He got a pen and paper and wrote.

 _Elena,_

 _My love, I had to go and help Stefan, Klaus is here. Bonnie and I are going to fight him. You need to stay here, I have put Vervain syringes in your purse, keep them on you at all times. Do not let anyone in the house. Sweetheart I love you. Please stay safe._

 _All the love_

 _Damon._

He sighed as he set the letter down on his pillow. He grabbed his clothes off the floor, his pants were close to the bed, he laughed to himself realizing that his shirt, socks, and underwear were scattered throughout the room. It had been a wild night of love making. After all the stress of the day he and Elena had unwound the only way they knew how, by having wild and ravenous sex.

As he got to the living room he pulled out his phone, calling the young witch. Ring- Ring

"Hello?" Bonnie answered sleepily.

"Bonnie, I am sorry to wake you, but its time, we need to go out to the woods. Klaus is here." Damon said.

"I am on my way to your house Damon." Bonnie said hanging up the phone. She shrugged out of her pajamas and got into some heavy fall clothes. It was cold outside, the wind clipping her heals as she walked to her car. Bonnie couldn't help but have a feeling of dread wash over her as she drove over to the boarding house.

Damon was waiting outside for her carrying a duffle bag, he climbed into her blue 2007 Prius.

"Okay, lets go. I brought some Vervain water and some stakes. I have no idea if any of this will work on this guy, I mean your Grams said he's an Original or whatever that is?" Damon said nervously.

"We will figure it out Damon, we have to, for Elena's sake. Did Stefan say anything else about this guy?" Bonnie asked as they reached the outskirts of the forest. The heat coming from the ground, mixed with the cool of the night had set a fog over the dark trees. Bonnie felt a chill deep inside her.

"He said that Klaus has Caroline." Damon gulped, his own body felt cold looking into the forest. As a human Damon had been a coward, walking away from the war when the going got tough. He felt those same feelings coming to a head. He pushed them back down. 'I need to be strong for Elena.' He thought to himself.

"Oh my god, poor Care!" Bonnie said as they got out of the car, the cool night wind slapping them.

"Okay, we need to stick together Bon-Bon. Its dark out but I can still see really good, hold my hand okay?" Damon told the young witch, extending his hand out to her.

"Okay, where do you think they are?" Bonnie asked taking a hold of Damon's hand, it was softer than she expected.

"I don't know I've got to listen and see if I can hear anything." Damon said perking his ear. He heard soft footsteps in the distance, and a voice he didn't recognize.

20 yards away….

"Come on now Rippah, you need to drink these blood bags for me." Klaus said as he threw another bag of human blood at Stefan, Stefan gagged as he forced another one down. On the ground beside them the whole floor was littered with empty bags of blood.

"Gahh, please Klaus I can't drink any more, I can't control myself, please let me stop." Stefan pleaded with the Original.

"No, until you embrace who you really are Salvatore, you will drink bag after bag." Klaus said throwing him another bag, knowing that the younger vampire couldn't resist.

Damon's eyes went wide "No! Oh, Fuck no!" he yelled. Pulling Bonnie with him he began to run.

"Damon slow down! I can't keep up with you." Bonnie pleaded.

"We have to get to him, Stefan can't control the thirst, Klaus is forcing him to feed." Damon was panicking. He had seen what could happen when his brother fell off the wagon.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

When Elena woke up her phone was blinking, she turned around to cuddle into Damon. His side of the bed was empty, a note was on the pillow. She reached over and read it. Her blood went cold. "No, oh no!" she cried out. She reached her phone, she saw Caroline's text. Hot tears were racing down her face. This was all happening so fast. She didn't want to believe any of it. Two weeks ago, Elena Gilbert was a normal high school student, just an ordinary girl. But now she was the centre of a dark and evil curse, girlfriend to a reformed serial killer ex vampire, and merged together with said boyfriend to create some sort of superhuman. She felt her stomach turn, she rushed to the bathroom and puked.

She went to the sink and swilled her mouth with water, looking up at the woman in the mirror, for once she didn't see Kathrine looking back at her. Kathrine's face was cold, it was pale. The woman that looked back at her was vibrant, warm, she had a glow. Elena sighed, "I am not Kathrine, I won't let them fight for me, I will fight with them." She said going back to Damon's room, grabbing her clothes she got dressed. Texting Caroline back _I am on my way Care. Don't worry I am coming to help you._

Elena didn't know what she was going to do, but all she knew is that she wasn't about to let anyone die for her.

She ran outside to Damon's car, someone grabbed her.

"Ah, Ah, ah. Where do you think your going?" a woman said.

"Kathrine." Elena said glaring at the woman before her. "I am going to give myself to Klaus, what do you think." Elena spat out.

"Mmm you are a stupid girl. Even I wouldn't do that." Kathrine said letting go of Elena's arm.

"Well I am not you. I don't give up on the people I love." Elena said getting in the car.

"How do you think Damon will feel when he finds out your sacrificing yourself?" Kathrine commented.

"He would do the same for me Kathrine, we love each other, when you love someone you would do anything to save them." Elena stated.

"Yes Elena, and he is doing that for you right now." Kathrine said her voice softening.

"But he shouldn't have to Kathrine, this is my problem, this curse can only be broken by me." Elena said trying to close the door, Kathrine just held it open.

"As much as I may have hated you for stealing my boys. I can't let you go on a suicide mission, Klaus, I will go in your place, I will pretend to be you." Kathrine said sincerely.

"Why would you do that Kathrine? Why would I trust you? After all you did to Damon." Elena spat out.

"Because Elena, I know what its like to be a mother." Kathrine said. Elena was confused, how did that have anything to do with Klaus.

"You don't make any sense Kathrine," Elena groaned trying again to shut the door.

"You don't know? Oh, dear Elena, your pregnant." Kathrine stated,

"That's impossible Kathrine, and even if I was, Damon and I only slept together the other day, there is no way you could tell that. Your making things up so I won't go." Elena said finally slamming the door and locking it. She put the car in gear and sped off leaving Kathrine in the dust.

Kathrine just stood there with a look of misery in her eyes. After all Elena would not be in this predicament if Kathrine would have given herself to Klaus 500 years ago. Kathrine sighed. 'Oh Elena, if you only knew that what I said was true.' She thought to herself. She had heard the second heartbeat, she had smelt the change of Elena's blood, the smell that only a woman who is expecting smells like. She didn't understand it herself, after all babies didn't have a heart beat until the 6th week, but something about this whole situation seemed magical. No matter how evil Kathrine was she couldn't let an expectant mother die. She ran as fast as she could to the forest.

Back in the forest Damon had stopped running, Bonnie could hardly breathe. "Damon… we need… to slow down." Bonnie panted. The sun was peaking through the trees.

"We need to find them Bonnie, my brother is out there somewhere. He's my brother Bonnie. My baby brother." Damon could feel tears threatening, he was so angry.

"I know that Damon but running around in circles like this is getting us no where." Bonnie said as she knelt, her hands pressing on her knees.

"If Klaus gets away with what he's trying to do Bonnie, Stefan is going to kill us all!" Damon shouted throwing his hands in the air in frustration.

"I know that! But there's nothing we can do until you calm down! We have no idea where we are, or where they are." Bonnie said putting her hand on Damon's shoulder. Damon just whimpered. He knew Bonnie was right. He smelled something strange in the air, "No! I told her to stay home!" Damon bellowed.

"What are you talking about?" Bonnie asked.

"Its Elena, I can smell her, she wasn't supposed to follow us." Damon yelled.

"What! Elena is out here? This is not good Damon, we need to find her." Bonnie's mind was racing, this was getting more and more complicated.

"AHHH! FUCKING HELL!" Damon yelled to the sky. He was so angry, he didn't know what to do, where to go. On one hand he needed to rescue his brother, on the other his crazy girlfriend was out there somewhere playing bait with Klaus.

"Damon, we have to split up, I realize that is not a good idea, but it's the only way. You go find Stefan and I will find Elena." Bonnie said grabbing a few Vervain syringes from the duffle bag shoving them in her pocket and a stake.

Damon nodded, putting the bag down grabbing the rest of the supplies he could carry on his person.

"Be safe Bon-Bon. Scream as loud as you can on the first sign of danger." He said grabbing his friend into a hug.

"Big bad Damon hugs?" Bonnie laughed trying to make light of the situation.

"Please keep her safe Bon." Damon said pulling back from the hug.

"I will, Damon." Bonnie said a glimmer of determination in her eyes.

They parted ways, Damon running off in the direction of his brother, Bonnie in the direction of Elena.


	28. Chapter 28

**Good evening guys! This is my last chapter for tonight, I had quite a flow of inspiration to night. But I've got to get some sleep, so I will get back at it tomorrow. I hope that I am pleasing you all. Please Review! I need some feedback. Please. CLM18**

Chapter 28

When Elena reached the forest, the sun was half up in the sky. "Damon, where are you?" Elena sighed. She got out of the car, her legs felt like jelly, she fell to the ground. She took a deep breath in; this whole situation was making her sick. 'What if what Kathrine said is true?' Elena thought to herself her hand unconsciously making its way to her flat stomach.

She pushed the thoughts out of her mind, getting up from the ground. 'I have to be strong for Damon, for Caroline, Bonnie and Stefan. I can't let anyone die for me.' Elena thought as she forced her self to walk into the forest, she had no idea where anyone was. Only that Bonnie and Stefan's cars were there so she knew they went in to the forest on that side.

Elena began walking, she heard a voice yell in the distance, "Damon!" she yelled out, "Damon, I am coming." Elena began to run to the voice.

Bonnie was walking back the way they came, she knew that Elena would see her car and head in the forest this way, she heard Elena calling out to Damon.

"Elena?!" Bonnie yelled back.

"Bonnie!" Elena yelled, the voices kept getting closer and closer. Until finally they met at a clearing in the forest.

"Elena! Why are you out here its too dangerous!" Bonnie said as she embraced her best friend into a hug.

"I had to come Bonnie, Caroline is in trouble she texted me!" Elena pulled back from the hug.

"I know Damon told me, we are looking for them, but Klaus has Stefan. Elena its bad." Bonnie said as she started walking back out of the forest.

"No Bonnie we have to find Damon, I won't go home without him Bonnie." Elena said as she started going deeper into the forest, Bonnie ran after her.

"Elena, I promised Damon I would keep you safe. We have to get out of here." Bonnie said pulling Elena with her.

Elena pulled back with all her strength, something snapped, a supernatural power came over her, she pulled Bonnie with her.

Both girls landed on the ground. "I am sorry Bonnie I didn't mean to hurt you." Elena said getting up off the ground and extending a hand to her.

"Whoa, Elena when did you get that strength?" Bonnie asked her eyes wide.

"I don't know just now I guess, must be something from the merger." Elena said as she straightened her shirt. "Please Bonnie let me go and find Damon, Stefan and Caroline. I am strong enough to help." Elena pleaded.

"Okay, but if anything happens, its not my fault okay?" Bonnie sighed giving in to her best friends pleads.

"Thank you Bonnie you wont regret it." Elena smiled as they walked back into the forest to find their friends.

Damon was still trying to find Stefan, he could smell the strong scent of blood. It was nauseating. "Stefan!" he yelled out into the trees. "Come on Stef, say something!" Damon growled.

Deep in the forest, "It sounds like your brother has made it here just in time Rippah, I plan on having him watch as I suck every last drop of blood from his precious Elena." Klaus said to the man on the ground before him. Stefan lay on the ground blood bags and blood surrounding him. His eyes were crazy, his face was covered in the sticky wet substance. He just sat there panting.

"Please Klaus, don't do this. Please." He pleaded.

"Oh, dear Stefan, even if I could I wouldn't stop the ritual. Everything is set in motion now. Soon my witch will be here, I already have a vampire, and as my brother gets back from town with the mayor's son I will have my werewolf." Klaus smiled evilly.

"Tyler Lockwood is a werewolf?" Stefan was so confused.

"Oh yes, didn't you wonder why your teacher Mr. Tanner was it? Why he wasn't in school anymore? Well you see to trigger the werewolf curse you have to kill someone. And I just made that easy for the boy by compelling him to kill Mr. Tanner." Klaus commented.

"What!?" Stefan screamed.

"Now you stay and be a good boy, I am going to go and check on your little girlfriend. If your brother comes you make sure he stays here and try and not eat him. I really want to see his face as I rip open his lover's throat." Klaus laughed maniacally.

Damon heard his brother scream, "I am coming Stef, hold on please!" Damon cried out.

As Damon broke through the last set of trees, what he saw made him almost puke. His brother lay on the ground surrounded by blood. Stefan's eyes were all over the place, he looked like a druggy high on heroine. "Damon stay back!" Stefan yelled seeing his brother out of the corner of his eye.

"Stefan what happened who did this? Was this Klaus? Why would he make you drink all this blood?" Damon was so angry, so confused.

"He wants me as some sort of body guard, please stay back, I can smell your blood, and all I want to do is rip your throat open and drink until… until… you know what happens after." Stefan groaned in pain, his whole body was singing with the rush of blood. Like a drug addict going through withdrawal, Damon's pulsating blood was calling to him. Stefan was fighting every urge to kill his own brother.

"I am not going anywhere Stef. I made a promise to you, every time you fall off the wagon I would be there, I am here. I am not leaving you, never again will I leave you. I am the big brother! I am just so sorry it took me so long to remember that!" Damon said pulling his brother off the ground, ripping a piece of his own shirt and cleaning Stefan's face like an infant.

"Damon, please get away, I can't control it I can't stop." Stefan growled, his eyes getting blood red, his fangs pushing out. Damon just held Stefan, taking a Vervain syringe from his pocket and stabbing it into Stefan's back. Stefan began to slump. "Shh, brother. Its going to be okay, we will get you out of here. You sleep now." Damon said laying his brother down.

Damon took Stefan's shirt off and wrapped it around his brother's hands, he knew that as soon as Stefan woke up he would come after him again, it was in Stefan's nature. Damon sighed, " I love you Stef, I promise I will do what ever it takes to get you out of here."

"Damon!" a voice from behind him called out.

"Elena! I told you not to come here." Damon said rushing to the girl before him. He pulled her into a hug, suddenly he realized that it wasn't Elena.

"Kathrine! What the fuck are you doing here!" Damon said pushing the vampire into a tree.

"Easy, there Dammy." Kathrine cooed.

"Don't call me that! You don't deserve to call me pet names, you sick bitch." Damon yelled, pinning his arm into Kathrine's throat.

"Damon…. Let … go…" Kathrine choked out. "Elena …. Is… in danger." Kathrine forced out.

Damon dropped her, she fell to the ground "I know that, its all your fucking fault! If you hadn't turned the cheerleader, we wouldn't be in this mess. What the fuck is wrong with you!?" Damon yelled at his ex.

"I am sorry, I had to do it, Klaus was going to kill me." Kathrine cried from the ground.

"I don't care, you deserve to died you screwed up bitch." Damon screamed.

"I am so sorry Damon. Not just for this, for what I did to you back then. You were such a sweet boy. I am sorry." Kathrine said sincerely.

"Why would I believe anything that comes from your sick mouth?" Damon said kicking her hard in the ribs.

"I know I hurt you. I just want to help. Please I can help you save Elena." Kathrine gritted her teeth feeling her ribs crack.

"Why the fuck would you help Elena?" Damon yelled kicking her again hard in the chest.

"Because I feel bad for her." Kathrine cried out, coughing up blood.

"Why would you Kathrine Peirce feel bad for anyone!" Damon said coming eye level with Kathrine.

"Because, even me as evil as I am won't condemn an expectant mother to death!" Kathrine yelled.

"What are you talking about!" Damon yelled in frustration.

"Elena is pregnant." Kathrine screamed.


	29. Chapter 29

**I have decided that this Story is going to be part of a trilogy! There is just so much I want to write that won't fit in one story! Please keep reviewing and letting me know what you like or what you would want to see happen I will take your desires into consideration. Thanks! CLM18**

Chapter 29

Damon stood in shock, "What did you just say?" he coughed out.

"I said Elena is pregnant." Kathrine groaned, she could feel her broken ribs knitting back together.

Damon backed away from her, "No, your lying, your making things up, its impossible. Vampires can't procreate." He was in shock his mind was racing.

"You and I both know your not a vampire anymore Damon, whatever that witch did she set your biological clock back ticking." Kathrine said getting up from the ground, "Just wait, Elena should be here soon, I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen to me, I heard the heartbeat Damon, I smelled her scent, she's pregnant, I don't know how but there is something magical about it. I can feel the aura." Kathrine said softly.

Damon began pacing, running his hands through his thick raven hair, "No, no this is all wrong, I can't protect her, I am not strong enough for this." Damon could feel his cowardice coming forth pulling him to leave, to run away. He could feel the tears rolling down his face, all he had ever wanted was a family, but right now, all he wanted was to keep Elena safe, not have to worry about having to protect a baby too.

"You need to calm down, we need to make a plan." Kathrine said fixing her outfit.

"We don't need to make anything! I don't trust you Kathrine. Even if what you said is true, I don't want you anywhere near Elena!" Damon bellowed.

"Damon, I am not going to hurt Elena." Kathrine tried to reason with him, but he just pushed her aside, "I am going to find Klaus and kill him." He grunted running off into the other direction, he could smell another vampire, a vampire that smelled more like a wet dog. He knew it must be Klaus.

The daylight was fading, the day had gone fast.

Bonnie and Elena had made it to a clearing, Bonnie could feel that something wasn't right.

"Elena, we have to hide, something is wrong here." Bonnie whispered.

The two girls ran behind a tree, watching intently as a dark-haired man came into view, he had a boy with him, Elena gasped, "Tyler… Bonnie that guy has Tyler." Elena's eyes went wide as the man dragged Tyler into the clearing.

"Brother! I have your werewolf; do you have the other ingredients for this ritual?" the man said gruffly throwing Tyler to the ground.

"Elijah! You made it, yes, I think that all my pawns are here now. Elena dear, you and your witch can come out now." Klaus laughed as he dragged Caroline behind him, she had a gag in her mouth.

Elena felt a lump in her throat, "Come on now Elena, you don't want me to have to hurt your friend here?"

"Don't go out there El." Bonnie pleaded, Elena shook her head, she wouldn't let any of them die for her. She walked out from behind the tree, tears threatening to fall, her whole body shaking.

"Please, don't hurt them, you have me." Elena pleaded walking up to the vampire.

Damon was running he could hear voices, her voice. "Elena, no please don't do this." He cried out. He got to the clearing just as Klaus was setting all his "pawns" in order.

"Oh goodie, Damon you have arrived." Klaus sneered. "Stefan! Grab your brother and hold him still." Damon saw his brother standing there, he must have gotten free. Stefan looked bad, his hair was a mess, his face was covered in blood, his eyes crazed.

"Don't do this Stef, your stronger than this please." Damon pleaded as Stefan grabbed him roughly, Stefan was more powerful than Damon, all the human blood running in his veins.

"I have to brother, I have to obey him. I have no choice please forgive me." Stefan said squeezing his brother tightly, he heard Damon's arm breaking with the force.

"AHHH!" Damon screamed pain searing through his body, like a bright white light.

"Damon!" Elena cried.

"ENOUGH!" Klaus yelled. "Elijah, grab the Bennett witch!" he motioned to Elijah and the SUV parked beside the clearing. Bonnie gasped as she saw Grams.

"Grams!" Bonnie cried out running towards them.

"Excellent!" Klaus snickered. "Young Bennett witch you are to do this spell! You either do this or I kill her." Klaus directed Bonnie extending a spell book to her and pointing at her Grams.

"Don't do this child!" Grams begged, "I've lived a good life, you let me die child!"

Bonnie cried and shook her head "No, Grams I can't let you die. No, I'll do it!" Bonnie said to Klaus grabbing the spell book from him.

Damon and Grams cried out. Just then Kathrine appeared in the clearing.

"Take me Klaus I'll be Elena's replacement. Please." She begged.

"You know how this works, Katrina, you had your chance 500 years ago. If you would have given yourself up when you were human then, all of this wouldn't have happened would it?" Klaus smirked, getting close to Kathrine. Kathrine was shaking. "Please Klaus, there must be another way, can't you just wait for another doppelganger." Kathrine begged.

"NO! I have waited long enough. Now step aside." Klaus said pushing at Kathrine.

"No, I can't let you do this." She pleaded, "Fine then you leave me no choice." Klaus said slamming his fist into Kathrine's chest. Kathrine's eyes went wide. "Why? I did everything you wanted." She gasped. "Katrina, you have served your purpose here." Klaus said ripping her heart from her chest.

Stefan and Damon gasped watching the first love of their lives fall dead to the ground. Even Elijah grimaced at the act.

"Now, you have seen what happens when you betray me, if anyone else interferes with this ritual you will have the same fate." Klaus promised. "Come now witch, we must begin the spell, the meteor shower is about to start." Klaus said configuring the witch, Elena, Caroline and Tyler in a circle.

"You! come and pour this salt." Klaus threatened Grams. Grams gritted her teeth, she hoped that the merger had worked correctly, if it had all of this would be over soon enough. She poured the course salt around the five of them.

Bonnie began to chant, Klaus smiled sickly.

Damon's arm was burning, his eyes were full of tears, he was listening to the ritual, hearing the heart beats in the air, there was too many heart beats, then he smelled it, "Oh god! No! please Stefan let me go." He cried out in pain as Stefan held him tighter.

"Please Stefan, listen, there are too many heartbeats, smell the air. Please Elena is pregnant! Help me save her please." Damon pleaded with his brother, blood was starting to pour from his arm, a shard of bone poking through the flesh. Stefan's eyes were wide.

"Damon stop moving, the blood Damon please." Stefan cried, trying hard to ignore the urge to rip his own brother apart. He heard the heart beats, he smelled the sweet smell of conception, but there was nothing he could do. He just watched his brother crumble. "Stefan… please." Damon cried.

The chanting got louder, a magical light connected all five of them together. Klaus smirked it was time, he grabbed Elena forcefully by the hair, exposing her neck. Damon yelled, "NO!" as Klaus bit into Elena's throat.

As Klaus took the first sip he gagged, a foam like substance coming from his mouth. "What did you do witch!" he choked before he threw Elena from his arms, and fell to the floor withering in pain.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Everyone stood in shock as Klaus lay on the ground, his eyes were wide, his body was still. Elijah stood in shock, was he dead? Grams began to chant.

Then Klaus took a huge breath in. Pain was surging through his body, "What the hell is going on witch!" he yelled. "Why can't I move!"

"You have been immobilized evil creature, you shall not take blood from this doppelganger, or any of her children. I shall not kill you today evil beast, but dare you step a foot in this town again, I will. Elena is protected. Never underestimate the power of nature again!" Grams yelled putting her last effort into causing Klaus immense pain, even though the original could not be killed he could be weakened, and weakened he was.

"Come, brother! There is nothing more you can do today. We must go, this ritual can not be done again for another 145 years." Elijah said as he picked his brother off the ground, Klaus still heavily breathing.

"You will pay for this Bennett witch, you all will pay!" Klaus yelled as Elijah dragged him to the SUV.

Klaus groaned as Elijah put him into the car, he yelled out the window, "Come Rippah! I am not done with you yet!" he commanded Stefan to leave.

Damon felt his brother's grip loosen, he dropped to the floor, "Stefan! No!" he cried out in pain. Soon his vision blurred, the pain in his arm was too much. He lost consciousness, the world went black.

"Damon!" Elena ran to his aid, she watched as Stefan ran off in the direction of the SUV. Caroline cried out beneath the gag.

Everyone out in the woods that night stood in shock, beaten, and broken. Tyler lay on the ground whimpering, Caroline stood crying, Bonnie remained frozen in her Grams arms, Elena comforted a broken Damon and Kathrine was dead. Where were they to go from here? Klaus was not done with them yet. He had promised them they would pay.

Grams was the first to break the silence, "We need to get Damon and Tyler help. Caroline for now you must help me, help them. They will never be able to walk down the hill." She directed.

Bonnie helped Caroline out of the gag. "Bonnie, you have to let Caroline feed on you." Grams instructed. Bonnie was terrified. "I will tell her when to stop Bon, don't worry." Grams assured the young witch.

Caroline was scared as she lifted Bonnies wrist to her mouth, her face changing, fangs ripping through the soft flesh. The sweet tangy taste of blood hit her tongue it tasted like heaven, compared to the blood from the cup earlier. Caroline felt amazing; she had an urge to drink more, and more.

Bonnie cried out. "Caroline Stop now!" Grams said giving the girl a sharp magically induced migraine. Caroline moaned in pain dropping Bonnie's wrist. Bonnie put pressure on the bleeding appendage.

"Now Caroline, bite your own wrist, give some blood to Damon first, he is the worst hurt. Good, good let him drink." Grams coached the young vampire. Caroline bit her wrist nervously, looking to Elena for assurance Elena wiped her tears, then helped Caroline guide her wrist to Damon's mouth. He began to moan, his eyes fluttering slightly. He gagged as the blood flowed down his throat. He opened his eyes.

"Elena…" he groaned, the pain in his arm still pulsing.

"Shh, its okay we are going to get you out of here, your going to be okay." Elena said cradling his head. He looked up at her with his icy eyes, tears flowing out of them as she bent down and placed a kiss on his lips.

"I thought I would never see you again." He choked out.

"Next do the same for Tyler. Good, good." Grams cut in, directing Caroline towards the wolf boy.

"Bonnie, I need you to do an inferno spell on Kathrine's body. She must not be found. No-one must know about tonight, to keep us all safe." Grams explained, Bonnie nodded as she went over to the body of the deceased vampire, she began to chant, flames engulfed the girl. Bonnie sighed, 'as evil as Kathrine was, she did one last selfless act.'

Soon Tyler got up from the ground able to stand again, the boy looked extremely confused.

"What is going on? I have no idea how I got here?" Tyler asked terrified.

"Hush now child all will be explained in time. Come now, we need to get out of these woods." Grams said as she directed the group down the hill.

Damon was in between Elena and Caroline, he placed most of his weight on Caroline. He could barely walk, he felt faint again. He couldn't understand why he wasn't healing, before when he was at the Bennett house, and he sliced his hand, the hand healed. Why wasn't his arm healing? He moaned in pain, nothing was making sense, even his vision seemed blurrier than usual. Everything was strange, all his senses were dulled.

"Shelia…" he groaned as they made it to the bottom of the woods.

"Yes, Damon?" the old witch replied, as she helped Elena and Caroline put Damon in the back of the car.

"Why, am I not healing? And I feel like I am blind and deaf." He moaned.

"The merger is complete now. All your vampire qualities are gone, I am sorry Damon, I had not looked deep enough into the spell when I did it. The spell that I used, I thought it was just a simple protection spell, to link one's life to another. But it appears it was much more than that. It was an antidote. When preformed on soulmates, one a vampire and one a human, it creates a cure. You are now human Damon. So is Elena, when Klaus tried to drink from Elena the protection bond broke the merger, all your vampire power combined with the essence of Vervain in Elena's necklace, created a type of poison in her blood." Grams tried to explain to the best of her knowledge.

Elena gasped, and Damon looked at the witch with terror in his eyes, he was weak now, how would he protect her, protect their baby? He felt the world go black.

"We must hurry and get him to the hospital Elena; his arm is badly broken." Grams instructed as she got in the driver's seat. She rolled the window down, "Bonnie take Caroline to our house, and take Tyler home. Phone Caroline's mom and tell her she is with you and safe. I will be home soon." Grams said as she started up the car, Elena got in the back seat to be with Damon, running her fingers through his hair. She was still unaware of the life growing inside her.

 **A/N: This is the last Chapter of part I of It will always be you. Please stay tuned as I begin part II. What will happen to Elena and Damon now they are human? Will they get Stefan back from Klaus's clutches? What will happened to the baby? Find out soon! CLM18**


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